PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER

Located on the second floor of a narrow storefront in Uptown, Yaba’s Middle Eastern Street Food is easy to miss. But once you climb the stairs, it’s hard to forget.

There’s a colorful mural on the wall of the fast-casual eatery depicting a bustling marketplace. Appetizing scents waft from the kitchen where Abe and Hanan Daud whip up family recipes. They’ve raised 10 kids and spent two decades in the dining industry. They’re experts in the art of pleasing palates.

The Daud siblings are helping their parents transition into retirement mode; that’s a hard task since their folks are so passionate about feeding people.

Yaba’s exterior is deceptive. It’s spacious inside and seats about 60. After eight months of building renovations, it quietly debuted this month at 1022 Fifth Ave., across from PPG Paints Arena. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 to 9 p.m. Friday.

There are plans to hold a grand opening celebration after the month of Ramadan, a period of fasting and spiritual growth for Muslims.

The Dauds ran popular full-service restaurants in Cleveland, including Pyramid. Locals called it “the lentil restaurant” because its signature lentil soup was so good.

Yaba’s, which means “dad” in Arabic, has the same lentil soup. It’s something mama’s been making for years. Next to her children, it’s Hanan’s pride and joy. After slurping down the stuff I can attest — Yaba’s is Pittsburgh’s “lentil restaurant.” Like the gumbo at Cafe on the Corner in Marshall-Shadeland, it warms the heart and soul because it’s made with heart and soul.

The menu is simple, healthy and delicious. You can build your own bowl, wrap or salad. I got a bowl with rice, a mix of halal chicken and lamb shawarma, pickled cucumber, purple cabbage, Arabic chopped salad, chickpea salad, Sumac onion, lettuce and tomato with both a spicy red and cooling white sauce on top. I also got sides of hummus, Baba Ghanoush and fresh pita bread.

I spent two hours chowing down and chatting with Abe and Hanan and their son Adam Daud.

Before I finished my marathon munching session, I ordered take-out for my daughter, the pickiest of all picky eaters. Thankfully, Yaba’s offers a kid’s menu that, in addition to shawarma meals, includes chicken nuggets and fries. The restaurant also serves halal smash burgers (with double or triple patties) and chicken wings. Adam put a lot of time and research into these items. After devouring 32 burgers around the city for a Pittsburgh Magazine feature, I didn’t really need another, but I couldn’t resist. Through my own research I determined Yaba’s has a good one.

Yaba’s food is available on mobile dining apps and if you can’t make it up the steps, someone will run your order down to you. Local artists Max Gonzales and Shane Pilster will paint more graffiti-style murals in the stairway. I’ve been following this dynamic duo for years. They’ve helped beautify many local restaurants with their talent. The work at Yaba’s is some of their best.

Like the food, you can tell it comes from the heart.

“All of these recipes are things my mom made when I was growing up,” Adam Daud says. “She is the mastermind behind all the recipes. She’s always on her feet, meticulously cleaning and prepping. Everything is as fresh as possible. It’s stuff we’ve fed to family and friends over the years. We thought the broader Pittsburgh market would enjoy it as well.”