Richardson’s dining scene adds another Middle Eastern spot with Khashoka, a Jordanian restaurant making its United States debut here after growing internationally. Khashoka, which translates to “spoon”, transports you into another time period. Inside, a mix of vintage electronics like an old radio and rotary phone sit beneath 10 large wooden spoons, each inscribed with Arabic script representing every global location. Though newly opened, it feels lived in, more like sitting in someone’s living room than dining out.
The menu is extensive, with a long list of appetizers before you get to the mains, but the waitstaff are eager to help you decide. Also eager to help: social media buzz, which has latched onto some dramatically presented dishes like mansaf, lamb over rice with jameed (fermented yogurt) poured over the top, or the chicken with white sauce pulled apart by the waiter.
But my favorite bite came from a quieter, under-the-radar menu item: kofta with tahini. Beneath a layer of soft, sliced potatoes are chunks of tender, minced meat and vegetables, swimming in a rich, creamy tahini sauce with a charred smoky finish. It’s nutty with a deep punch of spiced flavor from the oval-shaped meat patties. Paired with pita or fluffy yellow rice, it’s a dish I’d return for alone.
Nearly 90 percent of ingredients used at Khashoka are imported from Jordan. Take the za’atar: “wild” za’atar made from thyme found only in Jordan or Palestine. It has a touch more tang and freshness to it. The virgin olive oil, used in many of the dishes, is pressed from trees nourished solely by rainwater…