A World Away in Morro Bay
Story by Kristen C. Tiessen
Photography by Travis Farrell
At a market held along the Dead Sea outside Jerusalem, Ibrahim “Abe” Abuhilal and his family sold sheep they raised. That was when Abe, who now owns a restaurant in Morro Bay, was just a boy. These days, he continues the family tradition of selling fresh, farm raised cuts of meat near a less salty body of water.
Grape Leaf Deli & Market has been plating up classic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food in Morro Bay since 2017. At the hands of Abe, the Chef and Owner, each dish is prepared with farm raised ingredients and served with a warm smile. From the traditional cuisine of his native Palestine to the Italian cooking that transformed him into a food fanatic, Abe delights in bringing traditional fare to Central Coast diners who crave something fresh.
Growing up, food was a family affair. “I came from a foodie mama and daddy,” he says, smiling, and his fondness for flavor is hereditary. His father was a meat lover from Jerusalem who married the butcher’s daughter. His mother, a chef from Jaffa in Tel Aviv, used fish and garden greens to bring diversity to meals. Each time the family took their product to market, they also regularly dined with members of the community. “In our culture, we eat with everyone,” he says. “The whole town cooks together.”
After traveling to Perugia, Italy to study the native language in 1992, Abe transferred to Sardinia. Surprisingly, the island where sheep outnumber people 4-to-1 felt more familiar than expected. A friendly and inclusive host family, as well as a national appreciation for lamb, made the birthplace of a sheep’s milk cheese called Pecorino Sardo feel a bit like home.
While studying abroad, Abe not only became fluent in the language of Italy but also in the language of food. “You eat first with the eyes, and then with the mouth,” he muses, proclaiming that Italians are a people who like to celebrate with a meal 365 days a year. This perennial enthusiasm toward a good plate converted Abe into a food devotee. “You get artichokes in Sardinia, lamb and cheese, the pasta! I love Italian and international meals,” he confesses.
But Abe says dining out goes against the value Arabic families place on hospitality. Unlike in America, he explains, “We don’t go to restaurants; they don’t exist in our culture. If I took you to a restaurant, I would be shamed, like ‘Oh, he doesn’t want to feed me in his house.’” So how did a man born and raised in a food culture centered on raising, sharing and preparing meals together come to own an eatery on Main Street, USA?
Once on American soil, Abe’s penchant for homestyle cooking and communal dining was only enhanced. He used California-grown ingredients to cook his favorite Arabic staples and Italian classics. And he always shared his creations with co-workers at the vineyards and wineries where he interned while pursuing his doctorate in viticulture at the University of California—Davis. He also purchased a parcel of land and resumed raising sheep and growing his own alfalfa hay feed. By the time he arrived on the Central Coast, Abe had already gained a reputation. “When I came to the coast, people started telling me I needed to open a Middle Eastern restaurant,” says Abe.
Amid a years-long California drought, he sold his sheep and land in 2015. When opportunity struck two years later, he was 59 years old and game for whatever possibilities might lay ahead. With money in hand from the sale of the ranch and the encouragement of friends, Abe opened shop with a selection of falafel, hummus and his hand-churned cheeses (once sold in Whole Foods Markets). Now, Grape Leaf is precisely what he wants it to be: a place where people come together for fresh, organic, customary food. “You don’t need to go to Italy [or Palestine] anymore,” he says. “Go to Morro Bay.”
A regular vendor at coastal farmers’ markets in San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, he insists on using locally grown and raised produce and meat; fresh is best. Whatever he doesn’t grow himself, Abe sources close to home, from Hayashi strawberries and lettuces to grape leaves from Fresno and dates from the Coachella Valley. Customers and diners rave about Abe’s version of the simple but delicious dishes he loves most. “I feed the people whatever I eat,” he says, adding that this includes pizza dolloped with his handmade mozzarella and bejeweled with vine-ripened greenhouse tomatoes. His pies are sprinkled with herbs grown in the restaurant’s backyard garden and drizzled with California olive oil. It also means mouthwatering gyros, chicken kebabs served with Abe’s special tahini dressing and baklava good enough to transport patrons a world away. Abe lovingly prepares each dish with his own two hands and the help of his two-person staff.
Plans for the future include, hopefully, a roadside farm stand and making more meaningful connections in the community he loves dearly. And so, Abe, a man who never eats alone, says come. “My door is open to anyone who decides to come to me. Welcome.”
