PESHAWAR: A man of Iraqi origin, who decided to settle down in Pakistan more than three decades ago before establishing a snack bar serving falafel last year, plans to benefit from the popularity of Arabic cuisine in the country by expanding his business to other cities.
Nawaf Abbasi, 61, graduated from Saudi Arabia before moving to Pakistan in 1986 where he married a Pashtun woman and got new nationality. He remained associated with various education institutes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a language teacher for 15 years. However, he ultimately decided to set up his small café, Pasha Falafel, to sell the “popular street food” that is consumed by millions across the Middle Eastern countries.
“I have been working in [the field of] education,” he told Arab News on Wednesday. “Now, I have started my own [falafel] business. My plan is to extend [it across] Pakistan. I am negotiating with two parties, one in Karachi and another in Lahore [to expand this initiative to other places].”
Abbasi said he made falafel by mixing chickpeas, broad beans and patty-shaped fritter, adding the cuisine was becoming popular with growing number of people.
His outlet serves the food as sandwich and burger along with an assortment of vegetables and sauces.
“When I heard about Pasha Falafel restaurant, I was too excited because I love and like Arabic foods,” said Mahnoor Khan, a female customer at the facility. “I tried sandwich and falafel cheese burger. The taste was very delicious and spicy and the prices were quite low.”
Asked if he still visited his country of origin, Abbasi said that lost his parents several years ago, though he continued to see his relatives in Iraq.
However, he said he was now permanently based in Pakistan where he lived with his wife and four children.
Responding to a question about his future plans apart from taking his business to other cities, he said: “I am going to introduce frozen falafel that will be available in super markets.”
