After growing up in Palestine and spending 15 years working for Middle Eastern restaurants, Ata Abdel Rahman knows his way around a kitchen.
Rahman turned the latest chapter in his culinary career as he and his brother Angel held a soft opening for their new restaurant, Jerusalem Mediterranean Grill at 122 W. Union St. on Tuesday.
“I like how Athens was busy, how Athens was crowded. I like the college and I just moved in with my wife, my kids and I got my brother to move in with me,” Ata said. “And then we decided to open this restaurant. And it was available right when we moved in.”
Ata added that they plan on giving Jerusalem its grand opening Thursday or Friday.
Ata said he created the menu together with Angel, and despite the time he spent cooking for Habibi’s Restaurant, 19 S. Court St., which also sells Mediterranean food, Jerusalem’s menu is unique.
“When I left, my recipe left with me,” Ata said.
Jerusalem’s specialty is the Mixed Grill Kabob: a skewer each of chicken, kafta and shish kabobs, Ata said.
“Everything is made from scratch,” Ata said. “Nothing is frozen or premade.”
Before owning Jerusalem, Ata owned Al Saher Diner in Toledo, Ohio.
Additionally, Ata owns the newly opened Camel Hookah, 11 W. State St., where Jerusalem menus will be available for delivery orders.
Jerusalem delivers throughout the city during business hours, which are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to midnight on the weekends, with Sunday hours to be determined, Ata said.
But for those who would prefer to dine in, Jerusalem has taken over the building where the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant used to be on West Union Street.
Rio closed last June after owing more than $20,000 to the IRS, according to a previous Post article.
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