Issac Dakar opened Petra House in 2013, but his mother deserves a share of the credit. After all, Issac is using her recipes. These range from char-grilled salmon kebabs with shrimp to more traditional offerings, such as bamyeh bilahmih, a dish of oven-baked okra served with halal beef, onions, tomatoes, and spices. The décor reflects the menu's traditional bent: guests dine along plush pillow-lined seating amid ornate rugs and colorful Mediterranean drapery. There's also a rosewater hand-washing station, so guests can freshen up before a meal without holding their hands up to the showering sky.