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by Carolyn Stent
Ya Hala boasts authentic Lebanese food made in small batches to ensure freshness.
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Ya Hala serves
authentic Lebanese dishes
Ya Hala, a Lebanese restaurant and international grocery store, welcomes its customers with casual charm and unique food.
Rows of white shelves stacked with chutneys, curry spices, cookies and pastas labeled in strange languages fill the back of the room. On the left, several people sit at tables arranged in front of the windows. Music from the Middle East, which combines string instruments and drums, plays softly in the background.
John Attar and his wife, Mirna, bought the restaurant space in October, 1999.
Located at 8005 S.E. Stark St., the restaurant is less than a five-minute drive from campus.
A glittering blue sign bearing the words "Falafel King" sits above the restaurant, presumably left by the previous owner. Tall windows framed by blue drapes line the front of the restaurant.
Ya Hala boasts authentic Lebanese food made in small batches to ensure freshness. Mrs. Attar experiments with spices and recipes until she finds a taste she likes. Each dish is made "like it was done in Lebanon way back when," Mr. Attar said.
Behind a high counter, employees prepare and cook the meal. Mr. Attar or Mrs. Attar wait on the customers. Their friendly service encourages relaxed eating.
Each appetizer comes with fresh, hot pocket bread for a unique snack. Babba ghanouj, for example, is a tangy paste made of eggplant, lemon juice, sauce and garlic.
The restaurant's pocket bread sandwiches provide a satisfying lunch. Filling options include lamb, chicken, falafel balls or homemade sausage.
The menu offers several tempting house specialties. Lamb, chicken, or kafta (ground sirloin) kebabs come on a stick and are served with moist basmati rice. Veggie Bamyae, a vegetarian option made of baby okra with spices and onions, is also served with rice.
For the customer with more traditional tastes, Ya Hala also makes calzones with several combinations of fillings, and small pizzas. These arrive hot and thick with cheese.
Mrs. Attar makes several varieties of baklava, a flaky pastry filled with nuts and dripping in syrup. They complement an espresso drink or Turkish coffee.
The wait for the meal, although short, provides an opportunity to wander through the grocery aisles. The grocery boasts food from 23 different countries. Most of the food is imported from the Middle East, Eastern Europe and India.
The decor in the restaurant area lacks creativity and unity. Art from Lebanon or framed photographs of Middle Eastern scenes would contribute to the atmosphere and separate the restaurant from the grocery.
People of all ages eat at Ya Hala. "If you like this kind of food...this kind of taste... there is no reason why you will not come back," Mr. Attar said. The restaurant's location, reasonable prices and relaxed atmosphere make it ideal for students.
Address: 8005 S.E. Stark St.
Telephone: (503) 256-4484
Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
Mon. - Sat.
Prices:
Desserts $1.50
Appetizers: $3.50 - $3.95
Sandwiches: $3.75 - $4.75
House specialties: $7 - $8.95
Calzones/pizzas: $5.50 -$5.95
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