Many Athens bars and restaurants offer live entertainment, but Restaurant Salaam has an offering that sets it apart.
In 2006, Salaam started as the Shisha Café, a hookah café with a small kitchen where smokers could also watch belly dancing. In April 2009, the business moved to its current location, 21 W. Washington St., and became Restaurant Salaam.
The restaurant no longer offers hookah, but belly dancing is still on the menu Saturday nights.
Hilarie, Mark and Ryland Burhans, the owners and operators of Salaam, were approached about having belly dancers perform when they were still running the Shisha Café.
“It seemed to fit our theme,” Hilarie Burhans said.
Ever since, belly dancers have performed Saturday nights and by request at events Salaam caters. The belly dancers who perform are organized by Elli Olin, who performed at a Columbus restaurant prior to Salaam.
“Elli’s a warm, funny and wonderful person who really believes that belly dance is an empowering, womanly thing,” Burhans said.
Olin is the only belly dancer who has remained a constant performer since Salaam started the performances. Many of the others were or still are students of hers who she sends when deemed ready.
“It’s nice to have that venue for students to perform,” Olin said.
Olin started belly dancing in 2000 and taught herself for the first few years.
“I had seen a belly dancer and looked everywhere for lessons but couldn’t find a person,” Olin said.
In 2003, Olin met a woman with whom she took private lessons. In 2009, Tamalyn Dallal, an internationally acclaimed Middle Eastern dancer, certified Olin to teach. Olin continues to take classes and to learn more about the many types of belly dancing. She has two children and is a registered nurse at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
Some are not as enthusiastic about belly dancing as others. At Salaam, dancers walk around and perform throughout the restaurant for its patrons rather than a stage. They pick and choose whom they perform for, though.
“Not everyone who comes into the restaurant wants a belly dancer. She is very perceptive to them,” Burhans said.
There are people who do and do not eat at Salaam Saturdays because of the belly dancers. Some may feel uncomfortable while the dancers are performing, Burhans said.
“It’s OK to look,” Burhans said.
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