Chef Marcelle Afram is opening a "ghost restaurant" Jan. 22 called Shababi in Alexandria specializing in musakhan, a Palestine specialty, Washington City Paper reports.
Afram was formerly the executive chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Maydan in D.C.
Afram is partnering with Roro Asmar, who owns Roro's Modern Lebanese, 5655 General Washington Dr., Unit A, in Alexandria. The takeout-only Shababi will operate out of the restaurant.
Customers will be able to pick up orders from Shababi Friday through Sunday from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Pre-orders will be taken starting Jan. 18.
Washington City Paper's Laura Hayes describes musakhan as a rotisserie-style halal chicken with skin that snaps is brined for 24 hours, then coated with allspice, sumac, cumin, fenugreek, and cardamom before going into a specialty oven imported from Lebanon.
Read more about the new eatery here.
