UPDATE: Al Miraj is open as of 5 p.m. Wednesday. They'll be open only in the evenings for a couple of weeks then begin opening for lunch around the end of this month. If you go by there this week, tell them you saw it here first.
A new Mediterranean grill and hookah bar is set to open as soon as Tuesday on Franklin Avenue, next door to Barnett's Pub.
The combination of the WacoFork wire and a Saturday evening trip to Barnett's for a drink led me to the discovery of Al Miraj, which wasn't open yet, but was hosting a party that night. The "now hiring all positions" sign caught my attention and then I noticed a comment on the blog alerting us to Al Miraj's presence.
This morning, I spoke with restaurant personnel and learned that they hope to open Tuesday for dinner, then continue being open in the evenings for about a week and then begin opening for lunch as well before the end of January. Evening hours will be 5 p.m. to midnight.
I asked what kind of dishes would be on the menu and received the response "Well, haven't you ever had Mediterranean food before?" Fair enough. But they will be serving gyros, kebabs, Mediterranean chicken, etc.
The interior of the restaurant appears almost ready to go with decorations and tables and chairs in place. There is a separate hookah room, but patrons will be able to dine in either the hookah room or the main dining room. They also have a full bar.
