By Carol Coultas,Business Writer
Lewiston’s culinary scene gets spiced up with a new African restaurant.

LEWISTON – Harun Sheekhey knows a thing or two about the restaurant business.

He’s worked in them since he was 12, in places as varied as Ethiopia and Kenya.

Now he’s bringing his culinary background and Middle Eastern and African cuisine to Lisbon Street, opening Cleopatra, Lewiston’s newest restaurant.

“Seems like things are moving here, with the government and the people – they are trying to do better things, and I want to be part of that,” said the soft-spoken entrepreneur. The opening is set for Monday, March 20.

Sheekhey, 29, operated The Nile restaurant on Congress Street in Portland, but was driven out by the high cost of doing business there. Although the restaurant was a success, Sheekhey wanted to move his business to a more hospitable location.

He found it in downtown Lewiston, drawn by the many law and professional offices, college kids and lower lease rates.

“And I’m the only person who does this kind of menu,” he said, noting the variety of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes.

Sandwiches run from Arabian vegetable pockets to falafel, served in warm pita bread with a side salad, priced $4.95 to $5.95. Dinner entrees circle East Africa, offering dishes as varied as Somali stew ($8.95) to White Nile goat ($10.95) to Egyptian shish kabob ($10.95) and East African spicy chicken ($7.95).

Many of the entrees are served with a choice of hummus (a chick-pea based spread), baba ghanouj (eggplant-based spread) or tabouli (cracked-wheat salad). There’s also a sampling of East African teas and Arabian coffee, as well as exotic fruit juices that make the menu unique.

“What I do is healthy and inexpensive, so everybody can enjoy it,” said Sheekhey.

He even intends to offer a weekly Italian special like lasagna or Alfredo – a nod to the heavy influence of Italy, which occupied his native Somalia for decades.

He hopes Cleopatra brings a flavor of his culture to the community, not just in the dishes he prepares. He has animal-skin floor lamps and Arabian curtains from Morocco and brightly colored handmade baskets from Somalia throughout the restaurant.

He also intends to encourage the East African custom of “sharing a plate,” where three people share one dish, eating communally.

“It is a family way to eat,” he said. Tradition dictates that the meal is eaten by hand or with enjera, an East African flatbread, but Sheekhey said forks and spoons are OK, too.

“Whatever people are comfortable with – I don’t mind, ” he said with a smile.

He also is offering takeout, catering services and, depending on how busy he is, delivery service. And the restaurant closes at 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights, providing a warm gathering place for night owls.

Ghosts from the location’s previous occupants – Manic Design, Legal Eagle, D’Ellie’s, Manhattan Deli and Lita’s – don’t bother Sheekhey. He said he’s well aware of the odds against new restaurants.

“One thing I know, is that for every 100 restaurants that open, maybe five survive,” he said. “That’s the risk. But if you know how to do it, you can do it. I have experience and I’m happy doing it.”

Edward Little High School senior Donald Swasey contributed to this report.