SPOKANE, Wash. — You can now dig into authentic Middle Eastern food at Arabian Palace; a new restaurant on Sprague Avenue run by a family with a remarkable backstory.
Abdul Kareem and his family originally came to the United States as refugees from Syria, dreaming of a better life and opportunity.
“My dad took this opportunity (to) better our education and also for a better life as well,” said Maher Mahmoud, Kareem’s son and manager of Arabian Palace.
Kareem said his family fled Syria when the war broke our more than 10 years ago, first seeking refuge in Jordan.
“We lived there as refugees for a month and a half,” Mahmoud said. “We got an opportunity from the U.N. to come to the United States.”
From Jordan to Spokane; the family chased opportunity and freedom more than 6,500 miles away.
“When we came, we didn’t speak English. I didn’t know how to write my name in English,” Mahmoud said.
Since then, Mahmoud received his diploma from North Central with dreams of a medical degree.
“Nursing or dental,” he said. “One of those paths I want to take.”
Kareem ran a prominent restaurant in Syria and wanted to share the taste of his culture with the community that welcomed him in and gave his family a fresh start.
The restaurant serves up fresh baklavas, shawarma and even its own rendition of pizza, alongside many other options.
Their main goal is to support their family they still have back home. They hope to visit now that the Asad Regime has been overthrown.
“For 14 years I did not see my grandparents,” Mahmoud said.
Arabian Palace is open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
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