Habibis Announces the Opening of New Middle Eastern Restaurant on 125th St., Inviting Harlem to ‘Eat Happy’
Habibis is pleased to announce its grand opening on Monday, August 15, 2011, when Harlem will have easy access to traditional Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, at competitive prices.
On August 15, East Harlem will enjoy a new and diverse food option with the grand opening of Habibis, a quick-serve restaurant at 52 East 125th Street, just east of Madison Avenue. Habibis’ menu focus is Middle Eastern grilled meats, gyro, and shish kabab, cooked to order. Vegetarians are covered as well, with options such as falafel, hummus, baba ghanoush, and a variety of salads. The full menu is available online at http://www.habibisnyc.com/menu.html.
Habibis’ general manager and executive chef, Waled Haredy, is a native of Egypt and was pleased to see New Yorkers become more familiar with Middle Eastern food from the halal street carts throughout the city. The carts, which specialize in chicken, gyro and rice, have become increasingly popular, and Mr. Haredy himself has enjoyed meals from them. But he found there was always something lacking, leading to the inspiration for Habibis. Habibis offers the same Middle Eastern options that on-the-go diners find at the carts, but provides them in a clean, indoor environment. Mr. Haredy believes this is the key to providing high-quality, fresh and flavorful food in which his customers can be confident and happy to come back for more.
He explains, “When I think about growing up in the Middle East, some of my most vivid memories involve the food. People in the Middle East put their hearts into the food they cook, and you can tell by the smiles of the people eating it. Our goal at Habibis is to create the same feeling for our guests, which is why our slogan is ‘Eat happy. Eat Habibis.’”
Mr. Haredy and the Habibis staff are eager to welcome guests to the restaurant and introduce them to the menu. They hope guests will find a favorite menu item and return to try something new, such as the Rocket (a filling wrap containing falafel, hummus, and homemade fried eggplant and potato chips) or Karkadé (a sweet iced tea made from hibiscus petals). Habibis’ menu also includes items such as chicken sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and salads, so there is something to appeal to every guest. Desserts include Tres Leches cake (a Latin American flavor, mastered by Habibis), and rice pudding (made fresh with a three-generations-old Haredy family recipe).
Habibis offers take-out and free delivery (with a $7 minimum order). Diners are encouraged to visit Habibis’ website to learn more (http://www.habibisnyc.com). Habibis also maintains an online presence on Facebook and Twitter, where followers can get the latest news, special menu additions and discounts.
About Habibis
Habibis is a quick-serve Middle Eastern restaurant offering a menu of halal food such as signature grilled meats, gyro, and falafel, as well as sandwiches, salads and desserts. Located at 52 East 125th Street in Harlem, Habibis welcomes diners to enjoy a bite at the restaurant, take a meal home, or take advantage of Habibis’ free delivery. Learn more at http://www.habibisnyc.com, or search for HabibisNYC on Facebook or Twitter.