Hedary’s heritage not forgotten at Mediterranean restaurant

Hedary’s Mediterranean Restaurant was the dream of Frank Hedary, and his recipes are at the heart of the operation. He no longer owns the Sahara Avenue eatery, but his legacy lives on through its new proprietors, mother and son Cathy and Joey Davey.

Hedary, who is of Lebanese descent, ran Hedary’s, 7365 W. Sahara Ave., for a decade. But he was trying to wear too many hats, and the restaurant began keeping sporadic hours. More than one patron arrived to find the doors locked.

In late 2013, Hedary’s was bought by Joey, who runs the kitchen. Cathy runs the business side and is the hostess. Friends with the owner, both had worked at the restaurant and wanted to see its traditions continue.

“I always told (Hedary), if you decide to sell the business, I’d buy it,” said Cathy, “because I knew, if it was open more consistently, it would do really well.”

They stuck to the recipes that had always brought such praise. Indeed, Hedary’s garnered four Best of Las Vegas awards, given through a reader poll by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, in four separate years, most recently in 2013.

The reputation for authentic food led to visiting royalty hearing about the eatery. The royal family from a Middle Eastern country began ordering takeout from Hedary’s, lunch and dinner for them and their entourage, for their entire week’s stay. Men in dark suits would arrive to pick up the order in a hush-hush manner.

“It was like the Secret Service coming in,” Cathy said. “We didn’t know who we were serving until we were halfway through.”

Patrons attested to the food’s appeal. Ginger Magleby frequents Hedary’s, where she often orders the lentil soup.

“It’s the best place ever. The food is so good here,” she said. “The service is great, and they don’t blast the music so you can have a conversation.”

“I’m Lebabese, and this food is very authentic,” patron Jim Asche said. “Now, I don’t have to go to my mom’s and keep bugging her. I can come here and get the same good food.”

Joey has worked in the restaurant industry since he was 15 and was most recently at Marche Bacchus in Desert Shores.

“When I came here, one thing I saw this place was lacking — it wasn’t the food, that was really good — but it needed a face-lift in its wine list, its beer list,” he said. “There are wines that are not mainstream that are phenomenal products; they just don’t get the recognition they should.”

Joey hand-picks the vegetables and trained the kitchen staff so that all the food has consistency. Its happy hour, from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, offers the chance to try the food at special prices.

“Our vision is to provide a place where people can come and relax, a locals’ place,” Cathy said. “I think the trend is turning to small places with good, organic food, everything natural without the additives. We make everything from scratch, even our sauces. The biggest thing people ask, ‘Your food is so good, what do you do?’ I think it’s just using good quality food. Our meats, we’ll pay extra just to have the quality, and not have all the added preservatives. We’re not opening a can and sticking it in a microwave.”

Hedary’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 702-873-9041 or visit hedaryslasvegas.com.

Contact Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 702-387-2949.