CLEVELAND — Yaman Allaham introduced northeast Ohio to Syrian food at his new family-owned restaurant.

“We decided to bring a taste of Syria back and let people try it,” Allaham said.

They named the establishment is Damas Eatery.

“'Damas is short for Damascus,” Yaman Allaham said. “The city where we’re from.”

Allaham’s brother, Yaseen, recalled the moment that he and his family had to flee from the Syrian capital nearly 10 years ago as refugees. 

“We left Dec. 12, 2012 at 12:00,” Yaseen Allaham said.

Yaseen Allaham said leaving Syria was a decision that was difficult, but said it was one that had to be made.

“We left because it became very, very dangerous to stay," said Yaseen Allaham. "Like bombing, killing. It's a revolution."

Yaseen Allaham said his family headed to Jordan, where they lived for four years. Then they got a chance to come to the United States alongside of a large group of other refugees.

“The wave that we came in was around like 60, 65 families. So we knew each other," Yaseen Allaham said. "We were family number 16, if I remember right."

It was an opportunity that he called a dream.

“I used to watch the U.S. in movies, on TV, on Youtube, maybe, but [it] never, ever crossed my mind to be in the United States whatsoever, for whatever reason,” Yaseen Allaham said.

The restaurant co-owner said he is now trying to get his wife here.

“[We're] just waiting on the government to have some mercy on us to give her the visa,” Yaseen Allaham said.

Despite dealing with the separation and waiting almost a year for an approval, he said he’s still hopeful that she’ll fall in love with northeast Ohio.

“It reminds me of home,” Yaseen Allaham said.

 Ultimately, he added that he wants his wife to experience some safety outside of Syria.

“I got to open my own business. I got to be stable. [I’m] safe, [I'm a] citizen now. Yes. So, that's why I love it,” Yaseen Allaham said.