JEFF KORBELIK / GZO | Posted: Thursday, May 25, 2006 7:00 pm
Yahya Forhan is an earnest man who misses his country.
Having emigrated from Baghdad, Iraq, in 2002, Forhan is building a new life for himself and his family in Lincoln.
Opening Holyland Cuisine, a Middle Eastern restaurant on North 27th Street, is allowing him to stay in touch with his roots.
It’s here Lincoln diners can enjoy the recipes Forhan grew up with in the restaurant his father ran in Baghdad, with each entree — ranging from the popular shish kabob to the rice noodle dish biryani — having its own distinctive flavor.
Forhan opened Holyland Cuisine in March where the former Middle Eastern restaurant Peace Cafe used to be.
He is a participant in the Lincoln Action Program’s Entrepreneur Development Program, which offers training for people with minimal experience to gain the skills needed to run a business.
Not that Forhan needed much help.
He took over his location last fall and spent five months making improvements in the kitchen and dining rooms, including painting verses from the Quran on an accent board that runs around the restaurant.
Forhan also has hung several photos from his homeland, and if he’s not busy he will tell you a little bit about each, including the one of the Tigris River, where he said he often collected his thoughts as a child.
The menu features a combination of vegetarian and meat selections, with entrees costing between $4 and $13. Most items are around $8. Holyland also has sandwiches, which start at $3.50 and work great for lunch.
On my visit, two friends and I sampled a variety of Forhan’s delicious fare. We started with baba ghannooj ($4.45) and hummus ($2.45) as appetizers.
Baba ghannooj is grilled eggplant blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic and served with pita bread. Hummus is blended chickpeas with olive oil, tahini sauce, lemon juice and garlic and also served with pita bread.
For entrees, I had the small shish kabob with rice ($7.95) and my friends had the quizy ($7.95) and a large combination plate ($12.95), which featured chicken and beef tekka, shish kabob, biryani and falafel.
All entrees are served with bread and choice of soup or salad. We shared some of Forhan’s flavorful eggplant soup — a must-try.
The quizy is seasoned lamb served with choice of red or white rice. Like the kabob, the seasoning gave the lamb its own unique, savory taste.
Holyland Cuisine is about the dining experience, so patrons shouldn’t expect to get in and out right away. Forhan emphasized that it takes some time to prepare some of the meals. We spent about 90 minutes there and didn’t mind it at all.
We enjoyed our experience and were happy to see another Middle Eastern restaurant open in Lincoln. The foods and flavors are something different and something that should be tried.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
Holyland Cuisine
313 N. 27th St.
Atmosphere: Casual
Specialty: Middle Eastern
Payment: Cash, checks, major credit cards
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday through Sunday; closed Tuesdays
Phone: (402) 477-3636
Notes: Parking, no alcohol, Halal meat, takeout