New Royal Square restaurant brings a taste of Palestine to York: Levant

The Shalabi family rang in the new year with a big family gathering that included dancing, laughter and a table full of dishes prepared by Randa Shalami.

Her children, husband, in-laws and family friends feasted over a colorful menu of traditional Palestinian dishes and sides, including shawarma, slow-cooked rotating meat served in thin slices, yelnji, stuffed grape leaves and mansaf, a dish made of lamb, cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice or bulgur and tabboula, a parsley and bulgar salad.

"She (Randa) cooked for all 21 of us, and everyone was eating and eating and eating, and we said to her: Why don't you make a restaurant?" said her brother-in-law, Nidal Shalabi.

Originally from Bethlehem, Randa and her family came to the United States to visit before the war began, and as the conflict continued, her family decided to move last July, settling in York.

"There's no future back home. Anything you build, in a year or two it goes down. In a second, you lose your family, neighbors or friends," said Nidal, who came to the United States two decades ago and currently owns several businesses in Baltimore. "The only way I could feel better, knowing my family is safe, is to bring them here,"

Following their New Year's dinner this year, it didn't take much convincing for Randa and the family to consider opening a restaurant − it was just a matter of deciding on a location.

Levant Mediterranean Cuisine: A taste of Palestine

When a restaurant space became vacant in the Royal Square District following the closure Aviano's Corner Trattoria in February, the Shalabi found the future home of Levant Mediterranean Cuisine.

The name Levant refers to the historical region along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, including the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and certain adjacent areas.

And it was a project that took just over 60 days to build, which included a new paint job that transformed the white and green exterior into a vibrant mahogany red, and subtle interior renovations by Nidal and his brother Azzam.

"Royal Square and this community supported us from A to Z − they helped us get on our feet fast," Nidal said.

Randa, who has a background in finance, never had professional culinary training and learned to cook by watching her mother in the kitchen as a young girl. Following in her mother's footsteps, she now involves her two daughters throughout her cooking: Layan, 14, who designed the restaurant logo, and Rama, 19.

"I love seeing their smiles when they eat my food," said Randa. "I love to cook traditional dishes I learned from my mother." Her husband Azzam and daughters love every dish she has ever prepared, and the menu will be made up of dishes her family loves, as well as traditional Palestinian dishes.

"She (Randa) is talented and delivers the taste of our culture through her food," Nidal said.

The menu will feature protein-rich dishes including chicken, lamb and beef, as well as vegetarian options. Muskhan, a chicken dish with red onions, sumac, roasted almonds, yogurt and homemade bread. Appetizers include stuffed grape leaves, hummus, and a charred eggplant and tahini spread with homemade bread.

Levant will also offer breakfast, including shakshuka, a tomato stew dish with poached eggs, a platter of spreads, and the star of the show, manakish: a popular Levantine breakfast item consisting of dough topped with za'atar, cheese, or ground meat, made fresh daily and cooked in a wood fire oven.

Located at 101 S. Duke St. York, Levant had its soft opening this week and will be open to the public Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.