K’nafa offers taste of Middle Eastern culture

By SAMANTHA PHILLIPS

sphillips@vindy.com

LIBERTY

Customers can enjoy fresh and delicious Middle Eastern food, lively music and a welcoming atmosphere at K’nafa, a restaurant that adds to the township’s diversity.

“My restaurant is an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant, the most authentic you can find,” owner Mohammed Hajjawi said. “We serve fresh, homemade food every day.”

K’nafa opened on Belmont Avenue, next to Kravitz Deli, in December 2017.

Now that renovations are complete, customers are welcome to try out the new dining area.

One of K’nafa’s signature dishes is the mixed-kabob entree, which is a combination of lamb, chicken and kofta (ground meat) and comes with rice, vegetables and salad, Hajjawi said. The restaurant also offers desserts such as baklava.

On the left side of the restaurant is a grocery section with Middle Eastern staples.

The dining area on the right is decorated with authentic Middle Eastern vases, and Middle Eastern music plays through the speakers.

Hajjawi said he wanted to immerse customers in a new culture.

“Teaching people about culture, I think, brings people closer together,” he said. “And that brings more peace and love. Food really does bring peace and love by bringing people together.”

Hajjawi was born in Jordan and spent most of his life in Chicago, a city filled to the brim with culture and diversity.

His father’s friends operated Middle Eastern restaurants, and as a child, Hajjawi started working for them to gain cooking experience.

“I’ve been cooking since I was 9,” he said.

When Hajjawi moved to Youngstown in 2015 with his wife, Lena Esmail, he was struck by a lack of

diverse dining options.

“I was struggling to find a good restaurant to eat at. There is nothing like where I come from,” he said.

Hajjawi said he wanted to bring the diversity he experienced in Chicago to the Youngstown area.

He said he likes working

next to Jack Kravitz of Kravitz Deli, and the two business owners promote each other’s restaurants.

Customer David Winland of McDonald said he enjoys K’nafa because of the food and the people who work there. Like many customers, he goes for the chicken shawarma sandwich.

He said K’nafa is the only place in the area that is comparable to the restaurants he enjoyed when he lived in San Francisco.

Esmail said she is proud of what her husband established.

“He is bridging the cultural gap through cuisine. I encourage the community to come see what he has created – from the food to the unique dining experience,” she said.

Hajjawi said people can have their birthday parties and other gatherings at the restaurant, and they can seat about 150 people.