Past year, Mark found this Lebanese restaurant in his multiethnic neighborhood by happenstance. It was the evening of Christmas Eve. Most of the stores in neighborhood shuttered early. Mark, a young investment banker in Wall Street worked late to finish a few projects. He planned to take the entire Christmas week off for a planned vacation in warm South-East Asia. Still a bachelor, he never bothered to learn how to cook, instead picking up takeout dinners from various local restaurants. But this evening his luck was running out until he saw a dim light emanating from a small ethnic restaurant. The owner, a bald-headed rotund gentleman was getting ready to close the place.
Mark knocked on the door, entered the place, exchanged pleasantries, and inquired the owner about the possibility of getting some takeout dinner. The gentleman introduced himself as Habib Hassan, a first generation Lebanese immigrant of Islamic faith. He assured Mark some food for the night, entered inside his kitchen, spoke in Arabic with his wife who was cleaning all the dishes for the night. Soon, the aroma of Middle-Eastern cooking began to flow inside the dining area. While Mark awaiting food, Mr. Hassan brought out his two teenager children: daughter Meherbani and son Khalif, both of whom would help the parents in evening hours. Soon, Mark received a packet containing pita-bread, salad, chicken-shwarma, and grilled lamb-kebab. Mr. Hassan also refused to accept any payment, instead mentioned “It’s our Christmas gift to you.”
This evening, Mark, promising authentic Middle-Eastern cuisine, brought his college roommate Keith (who was visiting New York) to the same Lebanese restaurant. He found Mr. Hassan greeting the guests, while both Meherbani and Khalif tending the tables. Meherbani recognized Mark, remembering from past Christmas Eve. She then helped both friends to select a few different dishes to get a full Middle-Eastern dining experience, while apologizing for no alcohol being served due to their Islamic faith. Instead she served them a delicious ethnic drink made out of aging curd. As both friends finished their main courses, Meherbani mentioned that lately they were also serving excellent Syrian cakes, pastries and other desserts. Mark inquired how that began.
Meherbani went inside the kitchen and brought back a few samples of various desserts. Along came twin old sisters who hardly spoke any English. She then explained that Christian families of both sisters got annihilated in ongoing civil wars and religious massacres in Syria. Somehow both sisters survived, escaped and found their way to US, now waiting for asylum. Her parents gave them temporary shelter. However, the sisters didn’t want free shelter and meal. Instead, they offered their skill of making various desserts from their country. In the process, the restaurant also became a popular late-night hang-out place for young New Yorkers, adding to the economy of the local region.
Keith sampled a piece. He then asked Mark “Who are our fellow countrymen making our country great again?”
Mark knocked on the door, entered the place, exchanged pleasantries, and inquired the owner about the possibility of getting some takeout dinner. The gentleman introduced himself as Habib Hassan, a first generation Lebanese immigrant of Islamic faith. He assured Mark some food for the night, entered inside his kitchen, spoke in Arabic with his wife who was cleaning all the dishes for the night. Soon, the aroma of Middle-Eastern cooking began to flow inside the dining area. While Mark awaiting food, Mr. Hassan brought out his two teenager children: daughter Meherbani and son Khalif, both of whom would help the parents in evening hours. Soon, Mark received a packet containing pita-bread, salad, chicken-shwarma, and grilled lamb-kebab. Mr. Hassan also refused to accept any payment, instead mentioned “It’s our Christmas gift to you.”
This evening, Mark, promising authentic Middle-Eastern cuisine, brought his college roommate Keith (who was visiting New York) to the same Lebanese restaurant. He found Mr. Hassan greeting the guests, while both Meherbani and Khalif tending the tables. Meherbani recognized Mark, remembering from past Christmas Eve. She then helped both friends to select a few different dishes to get a full Middle-Eastern dining experience, while apologizing for no alcohol being served due to their Islamic faith. Instead she served them a delicious ethnic drink made out of aging curd. As both friends finished their main courses, Meherbani mentioned that lately they were also serving excellent Syrian cakes, pastries and other desserts. Mark inquired how that began.
Meherbani went inside the kitchen and brought back a few samples of various desserts. Along came twin old sisters who hardly spoke any English. She then explained that Christian families of both sisters got annihilated in ongoing civil wars and religious massacres in Syria. Somehow both sisters survived, escaped and found their way to US, now waiting for asylum. Her parents gave them temporary shelter. However, the sisters didn’t want free shelter and meal. Instead, they offered their skill of making various desserts from their country. In the process, the restaurant also became a popular late-night hang-out place for young New Yorkers, adding to the economy of the local region.
Keith sampled a piece. He then asked Mark “Who are our fellow countrymen making our country great again?”
