Guy Fieri Was Enamored By This Bengali Restaurant On Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

Guy Fieri is a longtime champion of the Midwestern food scene. When filming "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," Fieri frequent visits Ohio restaurants, and it's easy to see why. From Cleveland's Pierogi Week to Cincinnati's famed chili, the state boasts a population of iconic dishes and legendary diners — it's even home to one of the few remaining Dog N Suds locations. At its core, Ohio's food scene is inventive and ever-changing, yet rooted in a strong sense of history. Today, we're shining the spotlight on one (perhaps) unlikely Ohio eatery at the forefront of cutting-edge culinary action. Introducing: Joya's.

In an episode of his hit Food Network series "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," a visit to the Bengali-American fusion restaurant blows Fieri's mind. Avishar Barua, the chef-owner behind Joya's, has appeared on multiple Food Network cooking competition shows, including "Guy's Grocery Games," "Beat Bobby Flay," and "Top Chef." The eatery is named after Barua's mother, a first-generation immigrant from Bangladesh, and as Barua shares in the episode, his dishes are inspired by the flavors he grew up eating. Indeed, every offering on the Joya's menu offers its own unique aromatic bouquet. Take, for example, Joya's house "magic" spice rub: a rainbow of green cardamom, black cardamom, star anise, cloves, fennel seeds, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorn, black and pink peppercorns, Kashmiri chili powder, and Indian bay leaf, all toasted in a skillet until fragrant, then blended with mushroom powder and sugar — and that's just one ingredient.

In execution, that house magic spice rub is used to make dishes like Joya's fried rice — a fully-loaded interplay of pork belly bacon, house-made peanut chili crunch with fermented black bean, and crispy fried chicken meatballs. As Fieri jokes, taking a bite, it's a "68-ingredient fried rice," but according to the chef, the payoff is well worth the effort. As he digs into Joya's fried rice, Fieri exclaims, "This is one of the biggest flavor bombs I've ever had on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.' This is the pinnacle. I get the spice, I get the sugar, I get the texture, I get the acid [...] I'd come here daily."

For the uninitiated, traditional Bengali cuisine is influenced by an amalgam of Mughlai, Persian, Turkish, Arabic, and Indian culinary styles — a diversified smorgasbord showcasing different tastes and textures side by side, which is exactly what the creative team at Joya's is doing. Where Barua's passion and mastery meets his playful side is his take on a classic New York chopped cheese. Joya's Bengali Chap Cheese stars spiced lamb shoulder served on bread made (you guessed it) in-house. Shrimp paste, chopped garlic, scallions, jalapeños, ginger tie it all together, before being finally topped with tomatoes, shredded lettuce, cheese, pickled red onions and serrano peppers, and potato chips. Tasting the "mind-blowing" chap cheese, Fieri gasps, "You are David Copperfield-ing this menu [...] I have run out of vocabulary," praising Barua as the "spice doctor."

The restaurant offers a relatively limited menu, but judging by the incredible amount of complexity that goes into each ingredient, it's no mystery why. Either way, fans are digging it. Joya's boasts an impressive Yelp rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. In addition to the fried rice and chap cheese, customer reviews mention Joya's Breakfast Sandwich, Crispy Manchurian Chicken Sandwich, Kati Roll, and its sprawling craft coffee and tea latte menu. As one foodie writes, "Super cute space and cool staff, very Brooklyn/NYC energy, ate outside since weather was good, seating inside is limited, on the pricier side but I'd say worth it." Another raves, "Saw this place on Triple D, so had to give it a try [...] Had the Smashburger and the fried rice to take out. The burger was one of the most awesome burgers I have ever had. I don't know what they put in it, but it was just downright delicious [...] [the fried rice] was very good as well. Unlike any fried rice you have ever had."

Tucked into 657 High Street in Ohio's historical Old Worthington district, just north of Columbus, Joya's is open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday), with dinner hours on Friday and Saturday. Chef Barua himself stars in regular posts on the Joya's Instagram account, keeping the community engaged on what's next for this intrepid fusion eatery.