IT WAS A frigid, late Friday in January, and the sidewalks along 116th Street were still edged in banks of snow. Inside one unassuming storefront, however, the scene couldn’t have been warmer. Adam, the affable, always-smiling son of Naser Hineiti, owner of the recently opened Kanoon Smoked Meat & Steakhouse, was introducing a lavish selection of the restaurant’s extensive menu to a 16-person table of clearly dazzled customers. First came trays of freshly mixed drinks: the house special mint lemonade, nonalcoholic mojitos, and strawberry smoothies. Then, with a flash of pyrotechnics, platters of kebabs appeared, the flames of little makeshift torches licking at the smoky meat. Eye-popping cuts of bone-in lamb and beef worthy of a sultan soon followed. Anyone stopping in at that moment would be sure of one thing: Kanoon is unlike any other eatery in Fishers—or Indy, for that matter.
Kanoon is one in a recent surge of Arab-owned spots up and down the I-69 corridor northeast of Indy, most of them coffeehouses with lush pastry cases and tables packed until the wee hours. But the Hineitis’ place is one of a kind. Unless, that is, you’ve been to one of the handful of other Kanoon locations as far flung as Waterbury, Connecticut, or Herndon, Virginia—the latter of which Naser helped convince a childhood friend to open. But the longtime engineer at General Motors and Eli Lilly, a Palestinian born in East Jerusalem who moved to Alabama for college in the early 2000s, had long wanted a second, “fun” chapter to his own career. So he found an available space in the heart of Fishers, assembled a staff, and early last year took the team to Virginia for two weeks to learn Kanoon’s process for smoking large cuts of meat. However, he is quick to point out that each Kanoon owner has carte blanche to add whatever they want to the menu. “We’re really just a name licensee,” he says. “We’re a family restaurant. My wife, Samah, makes most of the appetizers, as well as many of the desserts.”
For first-timers, a family-style dinner starting with an assortment of Samah’s flavorful mezza is the best approach. Among cold spreads, thick, garlicky baba ghanoush is a must, as is a vibrant, tangy tabbouleh salad with plenty of lemon and a garnish of briny carrots with a slight kick. They’re both worth skipping the hummus, which is a bit grainy and lacking in bite. Flaky sambousek pastries filled with spiced ground beef are standouts among hot starters, and slices of funky Soujuk, sausage with a distinct chew, are addictive. Go easy, though, as the true Kanoon experience comes from splitting beef short ribs, brisket, a generous bone-in cut of lamb shoulder, or stuffed chickens, which are smoked for several hours, often over cherry or apple, then hit with an aromatic blend of spices and finished in the oven. This produces fork-tender meat with a character that’s distinct from your corner barbecue, especially when served with mounds of delectable smoked rice, which the kitchen slow cooks then finishes in a big pot with a plate of wood chips to add depth.
Smoked meats are sold by the pound, so the generous portions can price out a bit high. As a result, and at the request of some of his Muslim clientele, Naser hired a staff member’s father, an accomplished chef who hails from Afghanistan, to add a roster of more affordable yet no less hearty plates. That means customers can get Kabul-style pulao (fluffy, raisin-studded rice with flecks of crispy lamb) and tandoori-like grilled chicken finished in a chunky tomato curry. Be sure to order a basket of light-as-air Afghan naan to sop up the sauce. You’ll also want to stick around for one of Kanoon’s intriguing desserts such as the Kunefa, crispy threads of phyllo dough stuffed with milky white cheese heated in small metal pans and doused in a rich sugar syrup. The cheese pull alone is worth it. A strawberry parfait cup and the house cheesecake, both inspired by last year’s TikTok Dubai chocolate sensation, lean to the sweet side. A wedge of Samah’s slightly sturdier baklava with a welcome undertone of rosewater and a scoop of vanilla ice cream tucked inside is perhaps the best bet, especially with a demitasse of stout Turkish coffee or a fragrant, milky karak chai to extend the experience. Naser plans to add live music and occasional special events. “And I might consider expanding one day,” he says, his eyes brightening. For now, having a fun second career that includes his family and a mix of the food he grew up with and the food he came to love in the U.S. is more than enough…