The Durham News, October 6, 2007
Written by ELIZABETH SHESTAK, Correspondent

Palace International is on its third life.

The African restaurant that operated in downtown Durham for more than 10 years before burning to the ground in 2001 has reopened, this time at the 1100 block of Broad Street, where a culinary boom is under way with the addition of new eateries and cafes.

This restaurant hails from patient and persistent owners, Caren Ochola and her husband, Maurice, whose own roots of taking care of others run deep.

Feeding people comes naturally to Caren Ochola. The native Kenyan grew up in a household that welcomed the hungry. In a land where some people were lucky if they ate once a day, she says, food was a serious thing.

Caren, the oldest of nine children, came to the U.S. in 1979 and would earn a degree in institutional management from N.C. Central University -- but the call to nourish and provide a place where people could gather beckoned before too long.

The Ocholas opened Palace International in 1989 on Blackwell Street but soon moved to a more central location on Parrish Street, becoming one of the few downtown destinations after businesses closed for the day. It was a hot nightspot where people from all backgrounds came to hear exotic music and taste flavors foreign to many American palates.

"People mingled and exchanged culture," Caren said. Friends she had made while in school mixed with fellow Africans, and they brought in Caribbean and African bands to spice things up on the dance floor.

"Music, to me, is a language that attracts everybody," Caren said.

Palace International flourished, and the Ocholas eventually purchased the building that housed it. But shortly thereafter, in 2001, the building burned down due to faulty wiring. Caren and her husband were devastated.

"I felt like part of me kind of burned down," she said. "We had to really start from scratch."

They decided they needed a rest. She went back to school and earned another degree in hospitality and tourism from N.C. Central, and he worked in Carrboro at a gas station. They spent time with their two children, who are now both in college at UNC-Greensboro. Life went on.

But, soon enough, her roots caught up with her again, and she could not help but try one more time. "Durham still lacks what the Palace was," she said, a place where diverse ethnicities and backgrounds only add to the fun, the experience.

Palace International reopened, for the third time, on Broad Street, a few weeks ago. The menu is the same with old favorites like chicken karanga, a boneless breast of chicken chopped and sauteed with onions, tomatoes and garlic and served with basmatic rice and vegetables.

Vegetarian dishes are available, too, like red pinto beans cooked in coconut milk with ginger and cayenne. East African breads like ugali and chapatti come with many meals, and Kenyan coffee and Nairobian punch offer eclectic beverage options. The interior calls to mind the tropics. The walls are painted the green and orange found on ripe mangoes, and African art hangs throughout the room, which was once home to Randy's Pizza.

For now the Ocholas are focusing on food -- they cater in addition to serving to lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Caren would like to expand, eventually, into the building's basement so they can accommodate live music again. She'd also like to invite chefs that offer different ethnic foods to bring in even more diversity. But one thing at a time, for now. They have received lots of support from the community in the short time they've been open. Local neighborhood associations have been quick to spread the word, and they received flowers on their opening day.

Maryska Bigos ate there for the first time this week after friends recommended it. She dined on the chicken karanga, noting the delicate blend of spices.

With her office right down the street, Bigos is pleased with the culinary renaissance taking place on that block of Broad Street.

"It's very exciting what's happening down here," she said.

Many hope Palace International is here to stay -- maybe the third time's the charm.

Our street address is:
1104 Broad Street
Durham, NC 27705

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