Ya Hala

Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine, or simply Ya Hala, is a Lebanese and Middle Eastern restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. The business was established as a deli counter in 1999.

Ya Hala
The restaurant's exterior in 2022
Restaurant information
Established1999 (1999)
Owner(s)
  • Mirna Attar
  • John Attar
ChefMirna Attar
Food type
Street address8005 Southeast Stark Street
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97215
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45.5193°N 122.5813°W / 45.5193; -122.5813
Websiteyahalarestaurant.com

Description

Ya Hala ("welcome" in Lebanese)[1] is a Lebanese and Middle Eastern restaurant in the southeast Portland part of the Montavilla neighborhood. Martin Cizmar of Willamette Week has described the restaurant as "cavernous".[2] Lauren Carlos and Michelle DeVona of Eater Portland wrote, "Huge murals grace the walls at this homey ... standby, where visitors find homestyle Lebanese food as well as classic street fare".[3]

In 2013, The Astorian said the menu "offers Lebanese food that you might eat in someone's home, rather than the more standard fare".[4] The menu has included falafel,[5] shakshuka[6] pita and hummus,[3][7] lamb bacon and shanks,[8] meatballs,[9] eggs, sujuk and beef kafta kebabs, and burgers with arugula, eggplant, and tahini-Dijon dressing on a brioche bun.[10][11] Lamb is also served as shawarma, kabobs, or kofta with shakshuka.[12]

Portland Monthly said: "At its new brunch, this Montavilla standby takes a detour from its Middle East playbook. Instead, the restaurant spice-routes American greasy-spoon dishes alongside pots of fragrant Turkish coffee and traditional Lebanese breakfast fare."[13] Ya Hala uses the Lebanese coffee brand Najjar as of 2001.[14]

In 2003, The Oregonian described the restaurant's exterior as "inviting" and "plant-adorned".[15]

History
Interior order counter, 2022

The family-owned restaurant was established as a deli counter in 1999.[16] The Attar family also owns Barbur World Foods and International Food Supply.[17][18] Mirna and John Attar are co-owners;[19] Mirna also serves as chef[20] as of 2020.[3] She is the daughter of Nicholas Restaurant founders Nicholas and Linda Dibe, and the sister of Hoda Khouri, the owner and chef of Hoda's.[21][22] Pascal Attar is also associated with Ya Hala.[23]

Ya Hala began serving brunch in 2015.[24][25][26] The restaurant's exterior was painted in 2016. In 2021, Ya Hala's marquee logo was repainted and the text "Ya Hala Lebanese Plates – Established 1999" was changed to "ya hala" in lowercase.[27] Ya Hala participated in the Portland Bloody Mary Festival, which was hosted by the Bloody Mary Liberation Party at Redd on Salmon Street, in 2019.[28] In 2023, Mirna Attar began serving a new prix fixe menu in a dedicated space called the Fairuz Room. According to Eater Portland, the rotating dishes "meld Attar's memories of Lebanon with Pacific Northwestern ingredients," such as asparagus moussaka, beef shanks with Swiss chard kibbeh, and kishk soup with black garlic toast. The Fairuz Room also has cocktails and wines unavailable to guests in the primary dining area.[29]

Reception

In 2003, The Oregonian called Ya Hala "a Lebanese restaurant also on the top of many critics' lists".[15] The newspaper said in 2004:

Lots of Lebanese restaurants are family affairs, but few are so gracious and dear that the customers feel they've been adopted by the evening's end. That happens here. Host John Attar works the front, spinning funny stories about the history of dishes and waxing about how he feels Lebanese wines are underrated, while his wife, Mirna Attar, creates stunningly good food in the back. The combination is the perfect marriage of personality and great flavors.[30]

Outdoor dining tables, 2022

In 2008, The Oregonian said, "Every neighborhood should be so lucky to have a family diner like this: loud and bustling, with well-priced, piled-high plates of Lebanese food and a Mideast grocery store next door. Best dishes are found in the meze and grill sections."[31] Michael Russell included the restaurant in the newspaper's 2019 "ultimate guide to Portland's 40 best brunches".[32] In Walking Portland (2019), Becky Ohlsen called Ya Hala "an excellent choice if you're hungry" and said the restaurant was among the first established along a section of Southeast Stark Street.[33]

Indoor window seating, 2022

In 2015, Benjamin Tepler of Portland Monthly said Ya Hala was "widely considered one of the city's best Middle Eastern restaurants".[34] Ya Hala was a runner-up in the Best Mediterranean Restaurant category of Willamette Week's annual 'Best of Portland' reader's poll in In 2016,[35] 2017,[36] and 2022.[37] In the newspaper's 2019 list of the 10 "best places to get hummus in Portland", Shannon Gormley described the hummus as "a wholesome treat" with a "rich, nutty flavor and unobtrusive consistency".[38] Alex Frane selected Ya Hala for Montavilla in Thrillist's 2019 list of the "best brunch spots in 17 Portland neighborhoods".[39]

The restaurant has been included in multiple lists published by Eater Portland, including Chad Walsh's 2016 list of "Portland restaurants with killer delivery options",[40] Nick Woo's 2020 overview of "where to find saucy shakshuka in Portland",[6] and Lauren Carlos and Michelle DeVona's 2020 overview of "where to find next-level hummus in Portland".[3] In the website's 2022 overview of recommended eateries in Montavilla, Alex Frane and Nathan Williams wrote: "A stucco wall painted with faux windows adds an immersive charm to Ya Hala, one of the city's best Lebanese restaurants. Most nights of the week, families and couples on dates fill its dining room, with tables covered in baba ghanoush, shawarma, lamb sausages, rice-stuffed grape leaves, and much more."[41]

See also

References
  1. Wolf, Laurie (July 17, 2012). Portland, Oregon Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the City of Roses. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-7627-8711-1. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  2. "Eye of the Shawarm". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  3. Carlos, Lauren (January 16, 2019). "Where to Find Next-Level Hummus in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  4. "Ya Hala's Chef Shares Favorite Lebanese Recipes". The Astorian. May 6, 2013. Mirna Attar is the chef and owner of the Montavilla neighborhood restaurant Ya Hala. Her menu offers Lebanese food that you might eat in someone's home, rather than the more standard fare.
  5. "Brunch Outside the Box". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  6. Woo, Nick (February 12, 2020). "Where to Find Saucy Shakshuka in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  7. Dawn, Eden; Simonian, Ashod (January 5, 2021). The Portland Book of Dates: Adventures, Escapes, and Secret Spots. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-1-63217-326-3. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  8. Wolf, Laurie (July 17, 2012). Portland, Oregon Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the City of Roses. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-7627-8711-1. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  9. "Lebanese Lamb Meatballs with Tangy Pomegranate Sauce". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  10. "Ya Hala". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  11. Stevenson, Jen (April 18, 2017). Portland Family Adventures: City Escapades, Day Trips, Weekend Getaways, and Itineraries for Fun-Loving Families. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-1-63217-100-9. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  12. Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (March 23, 2023). "An Eater's Guide to Halal Dining in Portland, Oregon". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  13. "Portland's Best Brunches 2015". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  14. "Shedding Some Light on Turkish Coffee". The Oregonian. March 2, 2001. Ya Hala restaurant serves Najjar, a brand of coffee from Lebanon that they also carry in their attached store.
  15. "CULTIVATING SECOND-GROWTH". The Oregonian. December 28, 2003. Efforts to renew Today, Montavillans are especially proud of their restaurants, which include ... Ya Hala, a Lebanese restaurant also on the top of many critics' lists. Ya Hala owner John Attar immigrated to Portland from Beirut, Lebanon, and set up his restaurant and adjoining international market across from Dickson Drugs. He sees opportunity to increase foot traffic in the area. 'We've done our part, planting outside,' he says, gesturing to Ya Hala's inviting, plant-adorned exterior. If more businesses did the same, he says, the area would be more enticing.
  16. "8 things to do in the Portland area this weekend: April 12–14". KGW. April 12, 2019. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  17. Salloum, Habeeb (February 28, 2012). The Arabian Nights Cookbook: From Lamb Kebabs to Baba Ghanouj, Delicious Homestyle Arabian Cooking. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-0524-9. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  18. Crain, Liz (September 2, 2014). Food Lover's Guide to Portland. Hawthorne Books. ISBN 978-0-9904370-1-7. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  19. Wolf, Laurie (January 14, 2014). Food Lovers' Guide to® Portland, Oregon: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4930-0670-0. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  20. Lackey, Kayo; Sadowsky, Dan; Bernert, Jason (October 4, 2013). "Cook It At Home: Mirna Attar's Roasted Eggplant And Brown Rice Tabouli". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  21. Manning, Ivy (July 21, 2009). "Mezze table". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2023. At first glance, it looks like any suburban family getting together for a barbecue, but this is no ordinary family. Mirna Attar is chef of Ya Hala restaurant and daughter of Nicholas and Linda Dibe, founders of Nicholas Restaurant. Following her with platters of hummus and baba ghanouj is her sister, Hoda Khouri, the owner/chef of Hoda's restaurant.
  22. Wong, Janey. "Cocktail To-Go Club: Nicholas Restaurant Starts New Chapter of Storied Legacy". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  23. Marianella, Vincenzo; Fraioli, James O. (April 4, 2017). The New Bloody Mary: More Than 75 Classics, Riffs & Contemporary Recipes for the Modern Bar. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-5107-1669-8. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  24. "Three Reasons To Try Ya Hala's New Lebanese Brunch". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  25. Centoni, Danielle (March 20, 2015). "Eaterwire: Ya Hala Launches Brunch; Maryhill NW Winery of the Year". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on August 18, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  26. Bakall, Samantha (May 18, 2016). "Ya Hala's brunch goes beyond bacon and eggs: Cheap eats". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  27. "Ya Hala Repaints Logo". Montavilla News. March 14, 2021. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  28. Graves, Mark (September 30, 2019). "Portland Bloody Mary Festival ends in a hail of horseradish (PHOTOS)". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  29. Wong, Janey (August 22, 2023). "Ya Hala Owner Mirna Attar Is Revisiting Her Memories of Lebanon in a Prix Fixe Menu". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on August 23, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  30. "The Best Places, A to Z". The Oregonian. April 23, 2004.
  31. "Think globally". The Oregonian. June 13, 2008.
  32. Russell, Michael (April 11, 2019). "The ultimate guide to Portland's 40 best brunches". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  33. Ohlsen, Becky (February 12, 2019). Walking Portland: 33 Tours of Stumptown's Funky Neighborhoods, Historic Landmarks, Park Trails, Farmers Markets, and Brewpubs. Wilderness Press. ISBN 978-0-89997-893-2. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  34. "Portland News to Chew". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  35. "Best of Portland Reader's Poll 2016: The Complete List of Winners". Willamette Week. July 18, 2016. Archived from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  36. Kilts, Allie (July 12, 2017). "Here are the Winners of the Best of Portland Readers' Poll 2017". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  37. "Food Winners". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  38. Gormley, Shannon (November 5, 2019). "These Are the 10 Best Places to Get Hummus in Portland". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  39. Frane, Alex (August 19, 2019). "The Best Brunch Spots in 17 Portland Neighborhoods". Thrillist. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  40. Walsh, Chad (February 1, 2016). "Super Bowl Food PSA: Portland Restaurants With Killer Delivery Options". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  41. Frane, Alex (July 25, 2018). "Where to Drink and Dine in Historic Montavilla". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
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