All that is old is new again. This adage is especially true when speaking of the coming soon Middle Eastern eatery/lounge, Levant, named after the owner’s original region (including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel). The restaurant is taking over the space of current Middle Eastern restaurant Palmyra (Court St. between Degraw and Sackett) and the food will be Jordanian-based.
According to one half of the husband/wife ownership team, Sara Abus, “Our food is a bit different than Lebanese food because we use different kinds of spices. We do however have a particular dish in common called Manakeesh. They are a cross between pita and pizza, though the dough is made differently than pizza dough,” she says. “Our restaurant will be serving around 20 different kinds of Manakeesh, some which will be authentically Jordanian and others that will have some American influence. They will be served in twos or threes because they are smaller than regular, individual size pizza. Levant will also have a variety of mixed grills including Shish Kebob, Shish Taouk and Kafta. The Mazzeh (appetizers) will have around 10 different items including hummus and baba ghanouj. We will also be offering an Arabic burger which contains parsley and onion and is stuffed with feta cheese.”
Brunch will include Arabic breakfast specialties like ground beef with eggs, pastrami with eggs, and potatoes and eggs. And of course, there will be Falafel. Three different kinds to be exact: Jordanian falafel (made with chick peas and fava beans), Syrian falafel (made with only chick peas) and Egyptian falafel (made with only fava beans). Wine and beer will be available and you can expect it to open for business in mid-February.