São Paulo – Being a space dedicated to gastronomy and culture is the proposal of Maramiah-Arabic Salt and Soul, a new restaurant in São Paulo. The site, which offers Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian dishes, will show movies and promote talks about Arab themes, as well as participation in campaigns promoted by the Brazilian society.
A project by partners Lubna Patrícia Abdallah and Abdul Ghani, Maramiah receives the support of the Arab Culture Institute (Icarabe). It was through contacts with Icarabe representatives that the idea of joining food and culture in the same enterprise arose.
“There were several ideas that, together, brought the idea out,” said Abdallah. “In our talks, we decided to bring together gastronomy and awareness, showing movies and promoting talks,” said the businesswoman. The event calendar has not yet been defined, but there should be movie exhibits at least twice a month. “There will be movies about culture, architecture, Arab history and also about Islam. We are going to show many things,” she said.
According to Abdallah, the talks should take place once a month. Among the themes covered will be social and political questions in the Arab world. Brazilian social campaigns will also be among the themes shown at the restaurant.
To start with, Maramiah should promote campaign “Não Foi Acidente” (It Wasn’t an Accident), an initiative of engineer Rafael Baltresca, who lost his mother and sister, run other by a drunk driver. The campaign calls for more rigorous punishment for people who kill while driving drunk. “We are fully adhering to the campaign. For this reason, we are not going to sell alcoholic beverages [at the restaurant],” pointed out Abdallah.
In the Maramiah menu there will be classics of Syrian-Lebanese cuisine that are already renowned in Brazil, like kibbehs, safihas, grape and cabbage leaf rolls, to more typically Palestinian dishes, like maqluba (chicken, rice and eggplant, similar to a paella) and fasulie (made from white beans).
In the decoration, tents and cushions to bring to mind the desert climate. “The idea is to make the restaurant an extension of our own house, not something commercial,” said Abdallah. Maramiah may sit 100 people.
Service
Maramiah-Arabic Salt and Soul Restaurant
Address: Rua Canário, 390 – Moema
Working Hours: Monday to Saturday, from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm, on Sundays from 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
Telephones: (+55 11) 5051-0558 and (+55 11) 5051-0220
*Translated by Mark Ament
