Arabian Palace offers a taste of the Middle East

Last week, a wintry mix of rain and snow dampened drivers along busy East Sprague Avenue.

But inside Arabian Palace, an exotic antidote to the cold awaited.

Guests were greeted by the comforting aroma of butter and cinnamon from freshly baked baklava, and a whiff of cardamom, cumin and paprika, from the roasted chicken used in shawarma.

The restaurant embodies the dream Abdulkareem Mahmoud has had since he and his family arrived in Spokane in 2015.

Abdulkareem preferred to let his sons, Maher and Mohammad tell the story, while he prepared his signature lamb ouzi for the lunch crowd.

“My dad grew up in a family of 12 in Daraa, Syria, not far from the Jordan border,” Mohammad said. “His father had a big restaurant in the center of the city. Dad left school in the second grade to work there.”

Abdulkareem’s father catered weddings and celebrations of Syria’s elite. He and his siblings focused on the daily operation of the restaurant which included an on-site butcher and a café.

In 2011, the family fled the Syrian civil war.

“We arrived in Jordan as refugees,” Mohammad recalled. “I was 9, Maher, 11.”

Four years later, they arrived in Spokane.

“It was Christmas – the most snow I’d ever seen!” he said. “None of us spoke English. We navigated through the airport using sign language.”

As the family of six adjusted to their new country, Abdulkareem had one dream – to open a restaurant and share the food and culture of Syria with his adopted country.

“As soon as we landed, it was our goal,” said Mohammed. “But it was a long process.”

Abdulkareem was one of the first chefs to cook at Feast World Kitchen, and after graduating from North Central High School, Maher and Mohammed worked in the food industry to learn the American business model.

In January, 10 years after the family arrived in Spokane, Arabian Palace opened its doors. The menu features traditional Syrian foods with Abdulkareem’s take on the recipes.

“We serve manakish,” Mohammed said. “But here we call it savory pastry.”

The soft dough comes with a choice of toppings including, spinach, za’atar, cheese or minced beef. It looks like pizza, but the flavors are uniquely Middle Eastern. A drizzle of pomegranate molasses tops the beef savory pastry and flavors the Fattoush salad and Dolma, too.

All of the breads and pastries from manakish to baklava are baked in-house, and the pita is baked fresh to order.

Shawarma, featuring chicken or beef, is a highlight of the sandwich menu and is served with pickled veggies on the side. Hungry diners can add fries to create a combo meal.

“We serve the classic chicken shawarma like you would buy at a bazaar in Syria,” Mahmer said.

The tender pieces of seasoned chicken, topped with garlic sauce and pickles and wrapped in lavash bread, offer a simple and satisfying flavor profile. This flavor is replicated in a new menu addition: chicken shawarma bowls.

The bowls feature the chicken atop a bed of rice and greens with pieces of fried pita, a sprinkling of roasted almonds, and a generous serving of house-made hummus or baba ganoush.

But to the family’s surprise, it’s the lamb ouzi that’s become a bestseller. They weren’t sure lamb would prove popular with American palates, but the meal earned rave reviews from customers.

The rice and lamb dish is topped with peas, cashews, almonds and raisins. It’s served with a cup of salona, a spicy tomato-based vegetable soup. When you lift the lamb shank from the plate, the meat is so tender it falls off the bone.

In addition to soft drinks, Arabian Palace features two unique beverages; Ayran and Vimto. Vimto is a sweet fruity drink and Ayran is a refreshing salty, tart yogurt beverage.

“We are sharing our Syrian culture through food,” said Mohammad.

Abdulkareem arrives early each morning to begin cooking for the day ahead, but for him, the long hours are truly a labor of love.

Mahmer said his father prepares food in the traditional Middle Eastern way.

“It’s cooked from the heart and with love.”

Contact Cindy Hval at dchval@juno.com.