Pictured Above: An exterior view of Petra Mediterranean Restaurant, 1118 W Kennedy Blvd., in Tampa.
Aya Diab | The Crow’s Nest
By Aya Diab
Mediterranean | $$ | 1118 W Kennedy Blvd. | 813-513-3000
Petra, perhaps known as the Mediterranean go-to in Tampa, might be the closest you will ever get to a taste of the Middle East. As Arabic music plays and laughter fills the air, Petra beams with life.
At Petra, you are ruled by chance, as every dish is different. It is famous for its mouthwatering hummus and homemade falafel, among many other dishes. There, you will be able to experience the delights of Mediterranean food and its atmosphere.
Za’atar comes to the table first: a delicious combination of dried oregano, thyme, sumac and sesame seeds, complemented with rich olive oil. It is served with pita bread, pickles and a side of hot sauce.
I feel sorry for those who order takeout and never had the chance to experience all the flavorful appetizers.
Owner Moin Alutaibi grew up in Zarqa, Jordan, and immigrated to Tampa in 2001. After four years, he brought Petra to life.
Aya Diab | The Crow’s Nest
He launched his restaurant with the goal of highlighting the culture, cuisine and traditions of Jordan. In the beginning, Alutaibi mainly focused on serving basic Mediterranean dishes, however, he was later able to expand his restaurant to offer a variety of other cuisines such as Lebanese, Syrian and Greek.
The restaurant offers a wide variety of food ranging from mesabaha (hummus with whole chickpeas) and kalaya (tomato stew). There are also special dishes on Sundays like mansaf, a traditional dish of Jordan.
Pictured Above: Mesabaha is made of whole chickpea puree with hummus topped with garlic, lemon, jalapeno, olive oil and parsley.
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Pictured Above: Kalaya is made of sauteed fresh tomatoes, fresh garlic, jalapeño and olive oil topped with parsley.
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“Our famous dish in Jordan is mansaf, it is cooked with lamb meat and served with rice and jameed (yogurt),” Alutaibi said. “Our specialty here is the hummus and the falafel, we cook everything from scratch.”
Pictured Above: Hummus is made of chickpea puree, tahini paste and lemon juice topped with whole chickpeas, garlic and olive oil.
Aya Diab | The Crow’s Nest
Pictured Above: Falafel are fried patties made of ground chickpeas, onions, herbs and parsley served with house salad and tahini sauce.
Aya Diab | The Crow’s Nest
“Even though it’s hard to choose, I would say my favorite dish at Petra is the spicy Turkish kebab,” Rayah Jaber, a regular customer at Petra, said. “I really have a hard time ordering every time I go there just because of how good the food is.”
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Alutaibi has found joy in cooking delicious food and serving customers since 1988. He always strives to offer the most authentic food to represent the Mediterranean cuisine as a whole.
“I try to make every customer happy when he is coming; to feel like he is in his home,” Alutaibi said. “When I came here, my target was to (teach) the American people the taste of our food.”
Another customer was reminded of her days back home in Syria with her family.
“I love Petra so much, it’s my home away from home,” Carina Elkadi said. “The breakfast reminds me of my time in Syria surrounded by my loved ones.”
Aya Diab | The Crow’s Nest
When Alutaibi is cooking he, too, finds himself thinking of his family back home.
“When I am cooking here, it reminds me of my family sitting together back home during the month of Ramadan,” Alutaibi said. “I miss it.”
Located in downtown Tampa on West Kennedy Boulevard, it’s only a 25 minute drive away from USF St. Petersburg.
For those who don’t eat meat, Petra offers a range of vegan-friendly food choices. Check out its menu and website for more information.
To view video coverage on Petra, check out The Crow’s Nest at USFSP on YouTube.
