Dinner is served (at last) at Suraya in Fishtown

Five months after opening its cafe/market, Suraya — the well-received Lebanese-themer at 1528 Frankford Ave. in Fishtown — soft-opens for dinner Friday, May 4.

During the soft-opening, owners Greg Root, Nathalie Richan, and chef Nick Kennedy are seating by reservation only (via OpenTable, its website, and by phone at 215-302-1900). In other words, they're discouraging walk-ins for dinner, for now.

The dinner delay and limited seating are part of a smart strategy to get the entire complex up to speed gradually. Suraya opened last November with breakfast/brunch/lunch as well as prepared food to go.  Later this spring, Suraya's outdoor garden, which stretches all the way back to Front Street, will open.

Dinner is served in the 125-seat restaurant, built around an open kitchen fronted by a 20-seat dining counter and including a 12-foot charcoal grill and Woodstone oven.

Kennedy's menu includes starters (such as hummus, kibbeh, and the sausages known as makanek) and entrees (the ground, grilled lamb dish called kawarma, kebabs, and grilled chicken). There's also a grilled 28-ounce dry-aged rib eye for two, served with toum, baba ghanouj, charred ramps, onion, tomato and pepper, for $95.

Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday, and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with the bar open "late." It's closed Monday.