The eastern Mediterranean restaurant displays entrees and sides behind glass, allowing customers to pick and choose what to add to their plate by an employee.
Owners Mike and Rana Boselah said they knew there would be a learning curve to those unfamiliar with cuisine from the Levant, the former name of a region in west Asia where they were both born.
“That's why we offer free tastings,” Rana said.
Levant opened May 27, 2019. The couple owned Hurricane Grill & Wings in Round Rock, but Mike said they decided to open Levant because there was a lack of authentic Eastern Mediterranean restaurants in the Austin area.
Oftentimes, restaurateurs would erroneously lump Eastern Mediterranean cuisine with Greek or even Italian food, Mike said.
There is a difference, he said.
“A lot of the [dish] names are the same in the Middle East and Greece,” Mike added, “but the flavors and spices can be very different.”
Born in Syria and raised in Israel, Mike said he moved to the U.S. in 1982 when he was 18. He met Rana in Syria in 2000. They were married in 2001 and have two daughters, Leen, 16, and Sarah, 13.
Mike said the business enjoyed a prosperous first year—until coronavirus concerns shuddered Levant. The Boselahs closed the restaurant in mid-March.
“We thought it was only going to last a couple of weeks,” Mike said.
When they realized the length of the closure, the Boselahs introduced a carryout system through phone calls and online ordering. The business reopened April 6 and offers carryout seven days a week.
For those new to Eastern Mediterranean food, the Boselahs said they will gladly explain the main courses and which side dishes best complement an entree. For those reluctant to try new ethnic food, they can even recommend more mainstream dishes such as schwarma.
The menu also has a wide variety of vegetarian and gluten-free options, Rana said.
"We have something for everyone," Mike said.
