No chopped chicken liver.

Mushroom steak, mushroom soup, mushroom hash.

Talal says sfihahs (open faced meat pies) and kibbehs (fried minced beef), which are known to Brazilians just as any other local snack, are still the most popular items.

He hovered over four dishes simmering on the stove spiced rice kawwaj, a Syrian stew he made with tomatoes and onions ground beef with garlic and lentil soup.