“I want to eat that dish that makes you cry.”

That was the request from The Serb as we travelled the length of the city to Jumeriah and Sufret Maryam - the second chapter in Chef Salam Daqqaq’s astonishing restaurant journey.

In some ways, food is the great leveller.

On a Friday night, there were families, friends, cultural differences, different religions, beliefs, different histories and different futures, all coming together as equals.

Menu items like Fatet Mousakhan, Yafa Orange Juice and Watermelon Soda remind us of the importance of gastronomy in protecting cultures, and history.

And humanity.

A restaurant table may strip away the complexities of identity for an evening, but the very food we share is a reflection of the societal structures that shape our world.

Never better illustrated than Sufret Maryam – a haven for peace, conviviality and tolerance, serving food from a culture under dire threat and extreme distress.

The Serb wanted to eat the dish that makes you cry. Take your pick.

Silky hummous, moreish meat dumplings, charred and chewy Khobez bread and shish tawook so soft you could cut it with a spoon. And of course, the famous, emotional Tarsheeha dish.

The waiters, creating table real estate out of thin air, transformed our table into a banquet of premium comfort food.

With Chef Salam checking in on you from time to time, this is comfort dining at its finest.

Chef Salam is building something important with Sufret Maryam.

Legacy, generational dining and cultural guardianship, all wrapped up in a homely, embracing restaurant that welcomes you into its arms, in a mothering, loving hug you didn’t know you needed.