DINING FEATURE
DISHES TO TRY
Beet salad
Brisket
Potatoes
Yellow rice
Bu et options at Ta’Bleyah can consist of items such as brisket, yellow rice, beet salad and potatoes.
Ta’Bleyah Mediterranean Cuisine, which has two locations, is owned and operated by Heba Ramez (left) and Ramez Shokeir. (Photos by Andrew Christman/Community Impact Newspaper)
Grilled chicken
Ta’BleyahMediterranean Cuisine Eatery brings tastes of Middle East to The Woodlands A ccording to husband and wife Ramez Shokeir and Heba Ramez, opening Ta’Bleyah Mediterranean Cuisine was di erences in how animals are raised. Ta’Bleyah Mediterranean Cuisine o ers both a la carte and bu et menu items with dishes from around the Middle East, such as Egyptian, Leba- nese and Turkish cuisine. “We have maybe one or two items from BY ANDREW CHRISTMAN
Hummus
Grilled vegetables
Fried cauli ower
Bu et options including meats and sides change daily and are also available a la carte.
Shokeir’s dream. Three years after their rst location opened on Sawdust Road, the couple said the dream is still alive, and prospects are looking bright for the future of the business. “We believe we are going in the right direction,” Shokeir said. Ramez said she believes most people in The Woodlands area are not familiar with a wider variety of Mediterranean food aside from Pakistani, Lebanese and Indian cuisine. “The Middle East is a big, big area,” she said. “There are so many avors you can taste and try.” The Mediterranean restaurant opened a second location in The Woodlands Mall on Sept. 28. Along with its bu et, Ta’Bleyah o ers catering services and to-go options for guests. Expanding tastes The couple said they wanted to o er tastes they could not nd elsewhere locally, and they pulled from their experiences for the menu. Shokeir added being Egyptian and traveling throughout the Middle East helped the couple shape how they wanted their food to taste. “We have been in the United States for about 15 years now. When we came here, we could not nd the right taste. … It might be di erent than what you expect, but what we have is the closest we can get,” Shokeir said. Ramez noted there are di erences from their menu and authentic cuisine served in the Middle East due to the availability of spices as well as the
Morocco,” Shokeir said. “We tried to pick the best of the best. For example, … grape leaves are very famous in Egypt and Lebanon.” The couple added they are happy to guide guests through their options if they are new to experi- encing Mediterranean cuisine, and they will ask a few questions about what people like before giving recommendations. To keep food options fresh, Shokeir said the entire bu et is changed daily as well. Surviving the pandemic Ta’Bleyah Mediterranean Cuisine had been in business less than a year before the corona- virus pandemic emerged in the U.S. in 2020, and Shokeir said it slowed down plans for the restaurant. However, throughout the pandemic, they never closed, Shokeir said. “We survived; we are a family business. … I believe we should get ahead,” he said. “We had to close the bu et, but people would come up and order.” Ramez said there were customers who stopped in just to order a simple item, such as rice pudding. “It was a very nice experience,” she said. Shokeir said being a family-owned business means there is a commitment to their customers and sta , and they have worked with both to keep their doors open over the past two years. “We are trying hard, and food is something we like,” Ramez said.
Flan
Rice pudding
Desserts at Ta’Bleyah include an and rice pudding.
GROGANS MILL RD.
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Ta’BleyahMediterranean Cuisine 525 Sawdust Road, Ste. 106, Spring 832-663-9842 www.tableyahcuisine.com Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. noon-7 p.m.
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THE WOODLANDS EDITION • APRIL 2022
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