An air of mystery has always pervaded notions of the Middle East. From the region's intractable politics to its rich and diverse cultures, the area has long been a source of fascination to outsiders. And this is true of its many cuisines, which are as varied as the people and languages of this part of the world commonly referred to as the "cradle of civilization." The Global Times visited several restaurants in the city that all boast a distinctive Middle Eastern flavor.
The interior of A Thousand and One Nights. Photo: Cai Xianmin/GT
A Thousand and One Nights
A Thousand and One Nights Restaurant, also called the Arabian Night Restaurant, is located on Hengshan Road in Xuhui district. The décor is typically Arabic and includes stone carvings and murals. Candles adorn the tables, next to colorful shishas or hookah pipes laid on for patrons to enjoy a smoke.
Li Baoxin, general manager of the restaurant told the Global Times that the ingredients used in the shisha are 70 percent fruit and molasses, and 30 percent tobacco. "We have different fruit flavors, such as strawberry, orange and banana," said Li.
"After a meal, many of our customers - especially those from the Middle East - like to relax and smoke the hookah pipe for a while."
Li believes that the most typical and authentic Arabic food is to be found in Lebanon and Syria. "And because both the owner and the chef here are from Syria, you can regard this business as an orthodox school Arab restaurant," Li said.
While enjoying a typical kebab (with chicken, mutton, beef or vegetables), Li recommends pairing the dish up with a portion of hummus bi tahini. "It is a soybean paste made with pine nut-scented olive oil and salt. And our green wheat berries and the fresh pieces of warm pita bread are also very popular."
Every night, the restaurant lays on a belly dancing show.
Add: 4 Hengshan Road 衡山路4号
Price: 150 to 200 yuan per person
Tel: 6473-1178
Baked items on sale at Ha Ya's Mediterranean. Photo: Cai Xianmin/GT
Ha Ya's Mediterranean
In comparison to the rustic, back-to-basics style of A Thousand and One Nights Restaurant, Ha Ya's Mediterranean on Dagu Road is a far more contemporary take on Middle Eastern cuisine. The Israel-style eatery features walls lined with abstract oil paintings giving the place an avant-garde feel.
A waitress, surnamed Gui told the Global Times that all of the paintings were created by a good friend of the Israeli owner of the restaurant.
Gui told us that the most popular item on the menu is an appetizer called combo four, which combines hummus, tabbouleh, baba ghanouj and marinated eggplant. Another big seller is the main course, falafel, which is balls of crushed chickpeas flavored with special seasonings and deep fried in vegetable oil. Customers also can't get enough of the chicken shawarma that comes with pita bread and an Israeli salad.
The kitchen makes both Israeli and Greek salads, and "because we have our own bakery, we can provide fresh pita bread, bagels, laffa and other varieties of breads," Gui said.
Ha Ya's sells various set dishes at reasonable prices for lunch and on weekends.
Add: 415 Dagu Road 大沽路415号
Price: 100 to 200 yuan per person
Tel: 6295-9511
Baghli Polo with BBQ fillet of fish at Shiraz. Photo: Cai Xianmin/GT
Shiraz
When it opened its doors in 2005, this was Shanghai's first Persian restaurant and it named after the famous ancient city of Iran. Their interior decoration is typically Persian with bright carpets.
All dishes at Shiraz restaurant are halal (meaning the food has been prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary law) and are cooked under the guidance of the head chef who is from Iran. Many of the ingredients in the dishes are imported from Iran.
Well-worth trying is the restaurant's homemade yogurt, traditional Persian stews like Ghormeh Sabzi, Khoresh Fesenjan, and Chelo Goosht andBaghli Polo with BBQ fillet of fish.
Add: 3338 Hongmei Road 虹梅路3338号
Price: 100 to 200 yuan per person
Tel: 6465-9993