Posted on 01/06/2010 2:26:25 PM PST by thecodont
There may be no place like home. But, for many Bay Area Middle Easterners, a new market just north of downtown Oakland feels a lot like it.
"The smells here remind me of my childhood," said Oaklander Ze'ev Sharone. "It's the aroma of the spices. Driving around, I saw it when it was under construction. When it was open, I came in and said, 'Joy and hallelujah.'"
Sharone, a therapist, was born in Israel. The 61-year-old likes to stock up on Israeli groceries, spicy Turkish salad, and fresh soups from the deli counter. "It's just what I'm used to," he said. "It's not the American version of Middle Eastern food. It's true Middle Eastern food."
Oasis Food Market has it all: an unmatched supply of oils, grains, and canned goods; a mouth-watering eat-in deli offering soups from scratch, juicy shawarma, olives, feta, and a bevy of stuffed vegetables; fresh-baked breads and honeyed pastries handcrafted on site; and a full halal butcher shop complete with hanging carcasses in a chilled case. And, of course, there are fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, juices, and, somewhat less expectedly, a Western Union counter, post office boxes, household goods, traditional Arab clothing, water pipes, and flavored tobacco.
Stepping through the shop's doors feels like stepping into another country. To the left, above heavy rice sacks piled waist-high, a large circular aperture in the sky-blue-colored wall opens into a painted alcove, accented with star-shaped windows and camel figurines, designed for dining and relaxing.
(Excerpt) Read more at eastbayexpress.com ...
Hmmm. Convenient.
Yeah, that caught my eye too.
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