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Kibberia Brings Middle Eastern Cuisine To Westport

WESTPORT, Conn. — Satisfy your tastebuds without feeling guilty at Kibberia Restaurant & Cafe, a new Westport restaurant that specializes in fresh, authentic Middle Eastern cuisine.

Carole Iskandar, owner of the recently opened Kibberia Restaurant & Cafe in Westport, runs the restaurant with help from her son, Dan.

Carole Iskandar, owner of the recently opened Kibberia Restaurant & Cafe in Westport, runs the restaurant with help from her son, Dan.

Photo Credit: Vanessa Inzitari
Falafel patties, served with pita bread and tahini sauce, are some of the many Middle Eastern foods served at Kibberia Restaurant & Cafe in Westport.

Falafel patties, served with pita bread and tahini sauce, are some of the many Middle Eastern foods served at Kibberia Restaurant & Cafe in Westport.

Photo Credit: Vanessa Inzitari

The family-owned and -operated restaurant recently opened at 361 Post Road W., near the Norwalk border, in the space previously occupied by John’s Best Pizza & Grille. It is the second Kibberia in the state, joining the original location in Danbury.

“Everything here is made on demand when ordered to maintain freshness and quality,” said owner and head cook Carole Iskandar, a native of Lebanon. “We stuck with dishes that can be prepared in about 10 minutes so people can enjoy a fast, fresh and healthy meal.”

Carole runs the restaurant with her brother-in-law Nick and her son, Dan. Her daughter works at the Danbury location.

The 4,000-square-foot restaurant offers a variety of Middle Eastern favorites, including falafel platters, chicken and beef shawarma, hummus, fattoush and tabouleh. The menu also includes baba ghanouj, stuffed pies — filled with spinach or potato, beef or chicken, and cheese or spinach and feta cheese — pita pockets, kibbe and a variety of flat breads, which are made in a brick oven.

“We make fresh and healthy food that still maintains a lot of flavor,” said Dan. “As my mom always says, she wouldn’t serve anything here that she wouldn’t serve to her own children.”

The restaurant also offers various sweets, including baklava.

Although Kibberia is new in town, many Westporters who work in Danbury are well acquainted with it, Carole and Dan said. In fact, Westport residents who frequent the Danbury restaurant encouraged the family to open a location in town.

Aside from customer encouragement, the family settled on Westport after researching possible locations.

“Westport is a very health-conscious town,” said Dan. “People here like to try new things and are opened minded with their palates and diet. People have told us they are happy we’re here because we present something new for them to try.”

Kibberia had a soft opening on July 26 but is planning a grand opening celebration for early September, Carole said. The celebration will likely include belly dancers, she said.

The restaurant is open Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, including a menu, visit the Kibberia website.

To place an order for pickup, call the restaurant at 203-349-5512.

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