Walking into an unfamiliar place is both an awkward and exciting adventure. Only one person in our group, Armen Agacanyan, had previously eaten in an Armenian restaurant, and yet no matter how many questions we asked, he could not prepare us for our first Armenian meal.As we walked into the restaurant, we noticed a faint euphony in the distance. The tune of a Mediterranean hymn amplified as we approached the desk. Our surroundings resembled the ancient structures of Mediterranean homes as well as the holy interior of and Armenian Orthodox church; one could sense an overpowering feeling of and archaic culture, one of the first Christian churches in history. As we observed the novel environment, we noticed something unusual; there were many memoirs and facts about the Turkish holocaust of the Armenians in 1915. The Turkish holocaust plays such an important role in the psyche of the Armenian, especially Armenian religious life, that a priest at a recent Armenian service, reports author Jenny Phillips, compared the handling of one such relic, a torn pair of child's trousers, to "touching the robe of the Lord." The ambiance, homely and peaceful, enabled us to absorb the entire atmosphere and enjoy the cultural conversation with the owner of the restaurant.
She was a compassionate and peaceful lady with a soft voice, and although an American Armenian, she knew her native tongue, an attribute highly encouraged and enforced within the Armenian community. She began speaking to Armen in their native tongue. We looked at each other in amazement as the two Armenians carried on a short conversation in their complicated and unique language; it sounded like a mixture of Russian and Greek, and in fact, we soon learned that it is an Indo-European language, some of which actually is related to the Ethiopian dialect. While they carried on their discussion, we looked over the menu, but to our surprise, we found the bill of fare to be written in Armenian. The letters looked like a work of art, intricate text that was impossible to understand for us, but familiar to Armen. As I looked at Donny from across the table, I saw a puzzled yet frightened look on his face. He was feeling the same as Kyle and I, for all of us were concerned about the food we would eat within the next hour. There had been rumors of an animal pound across the street, used for the main course at this restaurant. Uneasy about the dinner, I interrupted Armen's conversation and asked him to translate the menu for us. He rapped up the discussion with the owner and began to translate the menu, and to our amazement, was full of appealing food. Armen ordered our dinner for us, six appetizers and one main entree, consisting of meats and vegetables and even pizza, known as lakmajun. He said this would be the best way to experience the full taste of his culture. Sitting in our comfortable satin covered chairs, relaxed, smoking infamous Armenian cigars and sipping on Greek ouzo, a favorite beverage of the Armenians, we felt unusually at home.
When the meal arrived, we were astonished at the colorful array of meats and vegetables glistening under the dim candlelight. Armen dug in immediately, devouring his food and smiling, inviting us to join in on the delicious and satisfying dinner. When we tasted our first few bites, our worries vaporized along with the tempting odors of the delicious lamb and lakmajun We glanced over at each other thinking maybe we should eat here more often. As we finished the meals, our conversation ceased as we sighed with the contentment and pondered the thought of dessert. After eating the pastries, some anoush abour and baklava, we thanked the owner personally, and Armen exchanged the names of similar Armenian friends they both knew, reflecting the small size of the ethnic community and its affinity.
Overall, the meal was incredibly satisfying and the ambiance was inviting and friendly. Armen enjoyed it most of all, impressed that the chef could cook as well as his mother. The restaurant and the entire eating process we learned is a major part of the Armenian culture. Armenian families are very close, and like many Mediterranean cultures, spend hours at the dinner table. Today, as Armenians grow as a culture, their people are becoming more and more important in society as well as in the religious, business and academic world.
The importance of Armenian restaurants and businesses to the cultural life of both Armenian diasporas (A diaspora is characterized as a group of people who retain their traditions and language within a foreign country. For example, early Italian communities of immigrants who came to New York earlier this century.) and mainstream American life is two fold: First, authentic restaurants and places of business provide diasporas or dispersed people a place to take part in familiar cultural activities, eating a good meal away from home. Also, authentic resaurants provide a good setting for dispersed people to make crucial business contacts with other members of their diaspora.
For mainstream Americans, ethnic restaurants provide educational experiences embodied in relevant activities. One feels that they know more about other cultures and traditions when one has taken part in an experience like eating at an ethnic restaurant. As a group, I think we definitely came out of the Armenian restaurant with a greater appreciation for Armenian cuisine and culture.
WRITTEN BY: Donny Campodonico Lance Gorrindo Kyle Kline Armen Agacanyan Dominic Gonzales