Ahlan wa Sahlan
Kunafa  - If there’s one dessert that rules as the Queen of Arabic sweets, it would have to be Kunafe Nabulsia, the sticky pastry made of gooey sweet cheese sandwiched between layers of shredded kunafe pastry.
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Originally from the Palestinian city of Nablus it is prepared in enormous round trays, saturated with rose-scented syrup, cut into slabs and garnished with chopped pistachios.
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Luckily to experience Kunafa you don't have to cross the River Jordan to Nablus as it can be sampled in almost every hotel and restaurant in Jordan. Our preference is Habiba - in the downtown area fo Amman - it's the best there is and is always a favourite stop on our downtown food tour of Amman.
Where ever you go in Jordan you will hear the words "Ahlan wa Sahlan". This is usually translated into English as "Welcome", but in truth it means much more than that as it is deeply rooted in the Arabic words for family and comfort: "make yourself at home" might be a closer and more appropriate translation. Â
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And that is what Jordan is all about. A welcome so warm, so refreshingly honest and sincere that the most abiding memory of a holiday to Jordan will be the Jordanian people themselves.
Mansaf - Mansaf is the national dish of Jordan and is Bedouin in origin. Although Mansaf is traditionally eaten communally as part of a social event, such as a wedding, birthday or funeral it is also sold in many hotels and local restaurants. It is even sold in some of the new swanky restaurants in Amman at reasonably high price. Â Mansaf is either lamb or goat cooked served over a bed or khubz (Arabic flatbread) and rice.
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Although and aquired taste it should definitely be sampled while in Jordan.
Hikayet Sitti - One of our favourite restaurants in Madaba and Jordan,  Hikayet Sitti is owned and managed by tour guide extraodinaire Elias Khzouz. Â
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Eating in Hikayet Sitti, is like eating in a traditional Jordanian home, which is only to be expected as it used to be his Grandmother's house. All the food is cooked to her legendary recipes, absolutely delicious, and with a simple menu structure based around "dish of the day" it really is like eating in a Jordanian home.
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Madaba is definitely worth a visit as part of a cultural tour or as a day or evening out from Amman or the Dead Sea.
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Add it on to an itineary or just pop in for lunch or dinner. For more information why not follow them on facebook.
