Love Slav

Jovan's Place

by David Snyder

The menu at Jovan's Place features so many service disclaimers, it could've been written by a lawyer. "Your patience is appreciated," it cautions. "It's worth the wait." After reading that, I figured I was in for the long haul. But by the end of my meal, I didn't want to leave.

Jovan's has been open since 1987, and the operation has been serving Yugoslavian and American fare for about 10 years. Dobrila Bokun (mom) and Jovan Bokun (dad) usually run the kitchen, while their son Zoran (everyone calls him "Joe") and his wife, Susan, often staff the cozy 35-seater. The family will take you in as one of their own, and the warmth they extend is unconditional.

Much like the hospitality, the food is honest and transparent. You'll never see a delivery truck out front. "I pick up what I want," Jovan says. "Not what they give to me." Meals are cooked to order, which explains those menu disclaimers. This results in generous, rustic plates you'll be reminiscing about long after you've enjoyed them.

Fresh bread sourced daily from Gino's Bakery comes with delicious walnut pesto. Mom's chicken noodle soup is so purifying I wanted to fake a cold to score another bowl. House-smoked pork adds layers of flavor to dad's hearty bean soup.

I fell in love with the schnitzel. Jovan exercises the butcher skills he honed at the former Fisher's restaurant on Broad Street to shape a lean pork cutlet that's wrapped around imported ham and two heavenly cheeses, including a cow's milk kajmak that Dobrila makes herself.

Three to four weeks of pickling give tender cabbage leaves just the right acidity to complement the hearty ground pork, veal and rice stuffed inside. And even the most gluttonous eater will need help polishing off the peppery beef goulash, which is a steal at $11.95.The blackberries in my complimentary post-dinner shot of infused vodka came from the Bokuns' own backyard.

Sure, the wait was longer than average. But there aren't many restaurants like this around anymore, which helped me realize that there are likely very few meals like this in my future. So settle into your chair, let Joe pour you a Kenzinger and enjoy your time at Jovan's. Like the menu says: It's worth it.

(david.snyder@citypaper.net)

Jovan's Place | 2327 E. York St., 215-634-3330

Hours: Tue.-Sat, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; closed Sun.-Mon.

Appetizers, salads, soups, $3.95-$8.95; Sandwiches, entrées, $7.50-$15.95

Cash only. Walk-ins only.