I noticed this article about Talhal Chahine in the Freep a few days ago:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2013302110082

They gloss over the tax evasion and double books stuff, but I still wonder if the Prosecution had a viable case. Talhal really should come home and get this stuff cleaned up instead of remaining a fugitive.

As for the "new" LaShish, it seems to be just about as good as the old [[at least in terms of the food, the decor is really generic). And it's just the one [[original) location though and I doubt they have grand plans of taking over the U.S. -- or even the Metro area -- with franchises.