"In a certain respect, chef Mirna Attar’s recollection of the Lebanese Civil War is an atypical one — the traumatic time actually holds some happy memories of gathering, cooking, and eating. Amid the conflict, she and her family retreated to a small village in the mountains to hide out with their extended family, which she recalls feeling like a big sleepover. Ultimately, Attar and her immediate family fled Lebanon for the United States, immigrating to Portland in 1983. She opened Ya Hala in 1999 with her husband John Attar. At the Montavilla restaurant, Attar has spent 24 years cooking Lebanese dishes like baba ganoush, kafta kabobs, and tabbouleh, beginning at a time when Lebanese restaurants were scarce in the city. Forty years after leaving her homeland, she is encapsulating the memories of her youth in a new prix fixe menu served within a dedicated space at Ya Hala. At the Fairuz Room, which is named after the beloved Lebanese singer, Attar has created an experience that represents her journey as an immigrant and the feeling of existing between two countries." - Janey Wong
