Neo-Diner 'Hail Mary' Opens in Greenpoint Tonight With Deviled Egg Dip and Matzo Ball Soup

For their first project together, a husband-and-wife duo are opening Hail Mary tonight, a modern American diner in Greenpoint. Sohla and Ham El-Waylly, who met during class at the Culinary Institute of America, are co-owners and co-chefs at Hail Mary. The menu reflects their backgrounds — Ham grew up in Qatar, and Sohla is first-generation Bengali-American — and their experience working in kitchens like Atera, Del Posto, Dover, and WD~50.

Starting today, the restaurant will be serving dishes like deviled egg dip with trout roe, short rib stroganoff, matzo ball soup, and grilled duck with Egyptian dirty rice. Sohla, who used to head the pastry programs at Rotisserie Georgette and Dover, is baking all of Hail Mary’s breads, including a tamarind sourdough, ranch Texas toast, and a savory XO monkey bread. The co-chef is also recreating classic candy bars like a Snickers with rose nougat and cashews, a nigella and dark chocolate "Twix," and cherry and rose pop tart with house-made rose sprinkles. As an ode to their neighbor, they also offer a Paulie Gee Malt with burrata ice cream, honey, and guanciale.

Hail Mary is open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday and offers weekend brunch. Check out the full menu below, and be sure to let us know what you think if you stop by.