(this is one of my articles for the October issue of Groove magazine)
Petra is a Middle Eastern restaurant located on top of the hill closest to Noksapyeong station. Yaser Ghanayem opened Petra in 2004. I sat down with Yaser for a late dinner one evening and he was very open about his life and his love of the middle eastern culture.
“At Petra, we don't sell food- we sell culture. We sell Taste. We sell heritage.” says Yaser.
I've been in Seoul for about 10 months now, and I have been hearing great things about Petra seemingly since I got off the plane. Their food is expertly cooked by a professional Levantine chef that has been with Petra since 2005. Nour Jmbarak was named the “Best Arabian in South Korea” three years running. Mr. Jmbarak runs a clean, consistent kitchen. The falafel crisp not greasy, the tabouleh is amazingly fresh and flavorful and the hummus is topped with sumac. “God gave me a great Chef”, Yaser told me during our talk. Being completely satisfied with every aspect of my meal, I would have to agree with him.
Yaser has fresh seasonings shipped in every 2 months. There is a good chance that if you have had middle eastern food in Seoul, either at a hotel or a cafe, the seasonings came from Petra. Yaser Ghanayem is more than just a restaurant owner, he is a savy businessman. He belongs to the Seoul Tourism Association and the Korea-Arab Society. Yaser has entertained all types of customers from members of the Korean National Assembly to comedians such as Roh Hong Chaol. The Royal Court of the King of Jordan has also dined at Petra.
I think its safe to say that Petra certainly lives up to its reputation as a top notch middle eastern dining experience.
My meal was taken from the appetizer listings because they(just like other Middle Eastern restaurants in Seoul) did not have a vegetarian entree listed on their menu. However, I pressed Yaser on this serious neglect issue and he said that his chef will gladly prepare their couscous dishes with vegetables and no meat. Yaser also said he plans to add a few vegetarian entrees to the menu in the coming months. Hurray for the vegetarian movement!I applaud Petra for their willingness to adapt to the growing vegetarian population, and I hope that other Middle Eastern restaurants will follow suit.
Yaser Ghaneyem is co-owner of a new upscale middle-eastern restaurant called Saffron. The restaurant, which will open publicly within the next few weeks, is described to be a masterpiece of style and sophistication.
No time for a fancy sit down dinner? Check out Petra's shwarma shop in Itaewon across from the fire station.
If you are not already a frequent customer of Petra, make a plan to go there for dinner soon. Yaser can be found helping out in the restaurant most days and he can assist you in putting together the perfect Middle Eastern meal, including showing you how to prepare each bite for maximum enjoyment.
Petra Restaurant
552
Itaewon-Dong,
02) 790-4433 or 019-840-9630
