When Wael "Wally" Abdin was studying engineering in college in Cairo, Egypt in 1964, he never dreamed he would end up running a booth at a public market in Little Rock, AR. But 36 years later, Abdin is doing just that-and quite successfully. Abdin opened Middle Eastern Cuisine-A Grocery for Imported Natural Foods-four years ago in the River Market. Two-and-a-half years ago he added the International Pantry so his customers can purchase the raw ingredients he cooks with and cook with them at home. "We serve quality Mediterranean food," Abdin said. "That includes dishes from Greece, India and all Middle Eastern countires. We feature five or six of our 122 international dishes every day. |
He said one of the best selling items from his booth is falafel-the hamburger of
the Middle East even though it is all vegetable. Other favorites include
beef, lamb or chicken gyros; a Persian dish made from chicken breast, homemade
sauce and pecans served over rice; Mediterranean spaghetti; and Moussaka, a Greek
dish cooked with beef, eggplant, potato, Romano cheese and fresh herbs. Popular side dishes include tabouleth, cracked wheat with parsley, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and fresh mint; hummos, cooked chick peas, tahina sauce, fresh lemon and garlic; eggplant dip; and Jerusalem salad. "We use olive oil and garlic in everything," Abdin said. "I use about 15 pounds of fresh garlic a week. If I couldn't cook with olive oil and garlic, I'd be out of business. We focus on fresh, natural and organic. There are no chemicals in anything we sell." If you're looking for an ingredient for a special international dish, more than likely you'll find it at Middle Eastern cuisine/International Pantry. Some of the products they stock include fine nuts like Chinese pine nuts; seed like balck melon and squash seeds; juices, like mango pomegranate, and Guava nectar; rose and orange blossom water; sun dried tomatoes and fruits; grape leaves; olive oil and olives from several different countires; numerous spices and coffees; and garbanzo beans. Abdin said cooking has always been his hobby. "When the River Market first opened, I would come down here to eat," he said. "I loved the idea of the River Market. Opening Middle Eastern Cuisine was a challenge, but I knew it would work." |
Middle Eastern Cuisine Cooks Up International Flavors at the Market |
