Bawadi celebrates re-opening in Seven Corners
The grand re-opening of Bawadi Mediterranean Grill &Sweets Café in Seven Corners Oct. 20 drew a large crowd of family and friends,
including the mayor of Falls Church, the people who helped with the relocation,
and members of the Amish family whose Meadow View Farm supplies the restaurant’s
lamb.
including the mayor of Falls Church, the people who helped with the relocation,
and members of the Amish family whose Meadow View Farm supplies the restaurant’s
lamb.
Bawadi’s new home is in the building that housed the former
Sunflower vegetarian restaurant at 6304 Leesburg Pike at the intersection of
routes 50 and 7.
Sunflower vegetarian restaurant at 6304 Leesburg Pike at the intersection of
routes 50 and 7.
The owners, Khalid and Sara Mekki, were forced out of their previous location in Bailey’s Crossroads when the landlord refused to renew their lease without giving them a reason.
When local businessman Syed Kazim learned about the problem –
and saw the long lines of people waiting to get into Bawadi during Ramadan – he
decided to partner with the Mekki’s to help them re-establish their restaurant in a new spot.
“What brought us together was the food,” he said. His daughter, Zuha Kazim, a
student at George Mason University, is an investor in the new restaurant.
and saw the long lines of people waiting to get into Bawadi during Ramadan – he
decided to partner with the Mekki’s to help them re-establish their restaurant in a new spot.
“What brought us together was the food,” he said. His daughter, Zuha Kazim, a
student at George Mason University, is an investor in the new restaurant.
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| From the left: Khalid Mekki, Sara Mekhi, Zuha Kazim, Falls Church Mayor David Tarter, Falls Church Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly, Syed Kazim, and Falls Church City Council member Phil Duncan. |
After the Mekkis purchased the Sunflower this summer, they planned
to merge the Sunflower’s vegetarian and Bawadi’s Middle Eastern cuisines. That didn’t sit well with some of the Sunflower’s loyal vegan
customers, however, who mounted a campaign on social media against the new owners.
to merge the Sunflower’s vegetarian and Bawadi’s Middle Eastern cuisines. That didn’t sit well with some of the Sunflower’s loyal vegan
customers, however, who mounted a campaign on social media against the new owners.
At that point, Mekki decided to cut ties with the vegetarian
crowd and just focus on a Mediterranean menu. There are plenty of non-meat
options, however, such as falafel, salads, and baklava along with such Middle
Eastern specialties as kabobs, shawarma, kufta, and grilled meat.
crowd and just focus on a Mediterranean menu. There are plenty of non-meat
options, however, such as falafel, salads, and baklava along with such Middle
Eastern specialties as kabobs, shawarma, kufta, and grilled meat.
Mekki told the crowd at the opening his goal now is to make
Bawadi “the number-one Middle Eastern restaurant in the DMV.”
Bawadi “the number-one Middle Eastern restaurant in the DMV.”
Despite all the work involved in reopening his
restaurant, Mekki brought some of his specialties to the Taste of Annandale
Oct. 13.
restaurant, Mekki brought some of his specialties to the Taste of Annandale
Oct. 13.
