Sahara's Restaurant in Okemos - A Little of the Flavor of the Beirut

When I went over to Sahara's the other day, owner Ahmed Elbast sat down with me and we caught up on the restaurant scoop in the area. Ahmed is in his mid 30's and rather gragarious. He has been working in his family's restaurant since he was a boy back in Beirut. I live a few miles from the restaurant in Okemos and I have always enjoyed his food and the great lunch buffet they offer, although I would love to see a mural of the seashore in Beirut as part of his decor.

And a few years ago Ahmed entrusted me with the secrets to his fabulous chicken recipe - a favor I won't soon forget and one that makes my chicken exceptionally tasty. I have done articles about Lansing's Middle Eastern restaurants for a few local newspapers in the past, so I asked him what was new at Sahara's.

I perused the menu while he talked to me. I have always liked his food, the humus is fresh and tasty, the buffet is always excellent, with good soup, and great buffet choices - one of my favorite is the stuffed green pepper with a tomato sauce. I especially like the Chicken Schawarma for $6.95 and the Chicken Kabob for the same price and the Mujadara (Lentils, cracked wheat and onions)and Salad at $5.95 and the lamb gyro platter with herbs and spices charbroiled and served with garlicky yogurt gyro sauce.

I have never tried the old Middle Eastern custom of eating raw Kibbee (my Middle Eastern friends have told me you only buy raw kibbee, which is spiced raw beef, from a family you know really well) but they do make it if you order 24 hours ahead. They do serve a cooked Kibbee Combo for $6.95 with rice hummus and salad.

I am a great fan of Turkish or Middle Eastern coffee, so I order the small, strong coffee they serve with the cardamom spice in it, to top off every meal and usually accompany it with baklava. The ambiance of the place is exotic with the brass wall plaque that says Allah in Arabic, although the family is Catholic, and the wooden camel stares from the shelf on the wall and the brass samovars give an air of Middle Eastern elegance decorating various shelves and counters around the restaurant. Their small grocery area provides a few things I like that I find hard to get in regular grocery stores, like fava or butter beans I use when I make Fool Madamas with chickpeas, lemon, and garlic, one of my favorite recipes.

Ahmed told me that the restaurant has started serving liquor again and teased me about those ice cream liquor drinks that are so popular. "Aha", he said as he told me they would be serving liquor again, "I'll make you more of those ice cream drinks." I seriously hope I have the fortitude to refuse the mango and the chocolate martini, and the Key Lime Pie with a kick, (a mix of Bacardi rum, vanilla ice cream, lime juice and topped with whipped cream).

Ahmed told me he has tried to adapt to the changing mood of Lansing area restaurant goers as they worry about their finances, and he is working with the schools to hold special fundraisers. He gives them a percentage of what he takes in for special dinners and they both gain. He also keeps his prices as low as he can, although until very recently, his prices doubled. And despite the recent drop in grains and other food costs, the lower cost is passed on slowly.

I find his fare to be among the best Middle Eastern food in town and the relaxed atmosphere must be reminiscent of Beirut, which has long been known as the Riviera of the Middle East although it has suffered in the last few years from all the strife. He and his family owned a restaurant there for many years. "My mother, who is Sahara's cook, still brings fresh spices back every few months."

Like many Middle Eastern restaurant owners, he is the quintessentially gracious host, and appears to love the social aspect of owning a restaurant. He chats comfortably with everyone who comes in. If you ask him, he will reluctantly admit that he started belly dancing when he was about 14 and until recently, occasionally danced with the local belly dance superstar, Yasmina Amal, the creative director of the Habibi Dancers, the local belly dance troupe. The belly dancing moves are different for men than women but so far, I haven't been able to get him to show me any of his best moves. When I ask, he just smiles and shakes his head "no".

I hope this smaller, family owned restaurant can survive the difficult financial times the state and country are going through. They make much of their food from scratch and it is flavored with fresh, unusual, and healthy spices (most of them not only season the food but help with digestion). I enjoy this restaurant and its exotic flavor, ambiance, and relaxed atmosphere where I can chat and socialize and find out about what's going on in every one's life. The warmth and friendliness of the Elbasts and their staff adds a lot to my day, and I just hope they can keep it together while so many people and businesses around them are struggling to meet the challenges unique to this time in history. Sahara's Restaurant is located at 3536 Meridian Crossings, Okemos, MI 48864. Phone is (517) 347-3770. For more information go to their web site at www.saharasbest.com.