KALAMAZOO, MI — At the beginning of March, Bassim Alfaraj and his two business partners — Rayan Alyousha and cousin Emad Alfaraj — decided to take a risk.
The three became co-owners of Middle Eastern Appetite, a small Middle Eastern restaurant near Western Michigan University’s campus, just two weeks before the coronavirus forced the new restaurant to quickly adapt. The three have spent the last five months working to sustain their new business in the middle of a pandemic that has forced thousands of small businesses and restaurants across the state to shut their doors.
Alfaraj, a WMU graduate, came to the United States from Saudi Arabia in 1997. His cousin would later join him in the U.S.
“When I came here, I knew I wanted to start something for myself, for my family,” he said. “People should know that it is not at all easy, but if you take action, take some risk, you can own your own business.”
Before operating out of a storefront, Alfaraj said and his team — comprised of mostly family and close friends — served their menu out of a food truck, Kazoo Falafel, which participated in popular food truck events like the city of Kalamazoo’s weekly summer feature, Lunchtime Live!
Alfaraj, his wife and three children live in Kalamazoo. The community, Alfraj said, has been vital to the success of his restaurant that has been open for the entirety of the coronavirus pandemic.
“When the pandemic started, we didn’t close but it become slower,” he said. “Especially when the students move out, its difficult here because this area depends more on the students. After a while, people from all over Kalamazoo started coming in just to support our business which we appreciated so greatly.”
Located just off campus at 2625 W. Michigan Ave., Alfaraj said serving international students with cultural staples they are familiar with is at the heart of his restaurant’s mission.
“We want to service the international community, the Middle Eastern community, with special food they are familiar with, and also introduce our way, our food, to everyone,” Alfaraj said.
On the menu, you will find a mix of dishes with origins spanning the Middle East region. Alfaraj said what sets his restaurant apart from others in the area like it, is how many different cultures are represented in the menu.
“When you say Middle East, that’s not just one culture, one type of food,” Alfaraj said. “It’s a huge place, each region has different cultures.”
At Middle Eastern Appetite, you can find classic Lebanese dishes like falafel or kafta, traditional Saudi Arabian cuisine such as chicken and lamb mandi or buhkari rice with chicken.
Alfaraj said one of his most popular dishes is beriany, an Indian mixed-rice dish. For newcomers who might be trying Middle Eastern food for the first time, he recommends the chicken shawarma, which includes slow-roasted, shaved chicken with lettuce, pickle and garlic and tahini sauce wrapped in warm pita bread. The restaurant’s menu also includes American dishes like fried chicken, cheeseburgers and fries.
“We love to cook. We used to cook for our own special dinners, lunches or parties for our families,” Alfaraj said. “It’s more than a job for us, it is really what we love to do.”
Middle Eastern Appetite is open from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. daily. The owners said the restaurant plans to return to its 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. hours once WMU students return to campus. Those interested in placing an order for carryout can call 269-216-3530.
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