Two flavors of family recipe

Once, there was one big venue for belly dancers in the south metro area, but now there are two. And once there was a single big Ansari family restaurant in Dakota County. Now there are two.

The split of the Ansari family restaurateurs, who ran the Mediterranean Cruise Cafe in Eagan, came after a bitter eminent domain dispute with the city. The city wanted to acquire the land for its redevelopment of the Cedar Grove area, but owner Jamal Ansari didn't want to sell.

But after the city condemned the property, the family didn't agree on what to do next. An insulted Jamal Ansari left Eagan to reopen the restaurant in Burnsville; it served its first diners last week. Meanwhile, business is hopping for his nephews, who parted ways to begin Ansari's Mediterranean Grill & Lounge in a renovated Baker's Square a few miles away from the Cruise Cafe's former location, which closed June 7.

The two Ansari branches are competitors now, in a sense, and some relationships have been strained. But the family is still on good enough terms that nearly everyone turned out for the final day of the old Cruise Cafe in Eagan.

Patrons of the old Mediterranean Cruise Cafe, meanwhile, are figuring out how to divide their own loyalties.

Terry Lambert of Inver Grove Heights is among a group of current and retired Sperry-Univac workers who met for lunch at the Cruise Cafe on Hwy. 13 for more than 20 years.

On a recent afternoon, Lambert and several friends ate, chatted and laughed at Ansari's in Eagan. Lambert says he'll remain loyal to the restaurateurs he's come to know nearly as family by patronizing both restaurants, where some of the best recipes have been handed down from the family's matriarch in Jerusalem.

"The food here is good; the food at the other place is good," agreed his friend, Richard (Rip) Anderson of Eagan. "They are similar places, but I don't think I'd call them direct competitors."

Ramsey and David Ansari opened their restaurant earlier this year in the Baker's Square building on Rahncliff Court, which Jamal Ansari had eyed but passed on for a new spot in Burnsville's Heart of the City. Their silent partner, Richard Hedlund, helped them get financing.

David and Ramsey did their own four-month renovation of the old Baker's Square, where the arches fit with their relaxed Mediterranean theme. The back of their restaurant advertises the family name, which can be seen from Interstate 35E at Cliff Road.

They also sell and rent hookahs and a wide array of tobacco, from watermelon to pumpkin flavors, for patrons who step outside. Ramsey runs a Web-based business selling hookahs, which turned about $300,000 in online sales last year, he said.

The meals are big, delicious and moderately priced. Entrees cost a few bucks more at Jamal's new restaurant, on average, but there's a more diverse offering.

"This is a dream come true today for me, my family and all my customers," Jamal Ansari said.

"The patience paid off. We believe success is everything in life, and we are very proud for what we have done."

His relatives at Ansari's Grill & Lounge in Eagan are similarly proud. They had a "soft" opening on New Year's Eve, which brought about 500 people just by word of mouth and Facebook messages, Ramsey Ansari said. The official opening was in February.

His brother, Ali, 20, is head chef, cooking up his grandmother's recipes and American fare. Another brother, Tarik, 22, is a server and floor manager.

The younger generation grew up helping their uncle Jamal and father, Hussein (Pasha) Ansari run the Mediterranean Cruise Cafe. The Ansaris opened that with another brother, Nabil, after emigrating from Jeruselum nearly 30 years ago. Nabil left the restaurant business early on.

"Our prices are probably 30 percent cheaper than anywhere else for this kind of food," Pasha said.

He spoke as servers carried out aromatic plates of the spinach pastries called spanakopita, grilled chicken, lamb and beef kabobs, various flavors of hummus, and more.

Ramsey Ansari, 28, said he and his immediate family decided they'd rather relocate within their hometown of Eagan than work for Jamal.

"I've lived here for 23 years, and we wanted to stay," Ramsey said. "This is what I know, this is what I grew up in, following my dad and uncle's footsteps."