NEW YORK — Diners packed into Hinds Hall on the Upper West Side, munching on Middle Eastern dishes such as zahir, maklouba, and kibbeh. A line formed outside, as guests waited for seating in the April chill, and delivery drivers stopped by to pick up orders. Cooks toiled in the open kitchen behind the concrete bar, beneath jugs of Sultan olive oil lined up on shelves.

The Palestinian restaurant opened last month, the latest installation of the Ayat chain’s eight branches around the city and the first Palestinian restaurant in the neighborhood. The chain markets itself as a warm redoubt for Palestinians and their supporters, including Jews. A sign out front says, “Muslims * Jews * Christians. Whatever your belief is we are all human.”

The menu’s front page reads, “Down with the occupation,” in English, Arabic, and Hebrew. Bold letters on the interior walls say, “Resilience,” “Freedom,” and “Save our children.”

“Community dinners, charitable initiatives, and creating spaces where everyone feels welcome are central to who we are,” the menu says. “At Ayat, the table is open to all.”

The menu also includes a map that brands the whole territory — the West Bank, Gaza, Jerusalem, and the rest of Israel — as Palestine. The cities are labeled with their Arabic names, and Jewish cities, such as Tel Aviv and Eilat, have been wiped from the map.

The seafood section of the menu is titled, “From the rind to the seed,” a play on the protest chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” itself a euphemism of the Arabic slogan, “From the water to the water, Palestine is Arab.”

However, the chain’s founder, Egyptian-American Abdul Elenani, has leaned into coexistence, organizing a free Shabbat dinner in 2024 that was attended by hundreds. The chain is named for Elenani’s wife, who is Palestinian-American.

The messaging has been a success. The expanding chain is planning two new locations, in Philadelphia and Washington, DC, according to its website, and the Upper West Side spot, in a neighborhood with a large Jewish population, is often packed. The crowd is mostly younger, the mood is upbeat, and the staff is friendly and attentive.

The offerings are also good — the sahlav, a chai-like drink, is soothing on a chilly day, and a platter called mezze Filistini serves up sizable portions of hummus, baba ghanoush, muhammarah, tabbouleh, and labneh. The fattat jaj entrée balances creamy mint yogurt and........

© The Times of Israel