There have been several MiddleEastern restaurants springing up on Main Ave. between Piaget and Colfax Aves., but Kamil’s Lebanese Cuisine may be the most popular thanks to its hookah license. “We’re the only restaurant in the city to serve hookah because we were in business prior to 2004,” said Dany Nijm, part-owner of the establishment located at 1489 Main Ave. “What hurts us is that in Paterson, the restaurants serve hookah even though it’s illegal,” he claimed. “The problem is, it’s not enforced.” Nijm said he and other MiddleEastern business owners have decided to locate in Clifton because it is cleaner, safer and offers more parking than in Paterson, where most of their clientele resides. Other cultural eateries in the area include Al Khayam Restaurant at 1543 Main Ave., Baranda Fine Mediterranean Restaurant at 1551 Main Ave. and Al-Jannah Restaurant at 1462 Main Ave. There’s even a hookah distributor, Hookah Paradise, located at 1275 Main Ave. Owner Simon Sheik is on hand seven days a week. Nijm, a Lebanese immigrant, patronized Kamil’s since it opened in 2002, before deciding to buy into a portion of the business last year.
send Clifton business news to TomHawrylko@optonline.net
Above, Kamil’s Lebanese Cuisine manager Jamil M. and part-owner Dany Nijm.
While he is at the restaurant everyday, Nijm is also an information technology project manager, an automated teller machine business owner and real estate investor. There is seating for 60 indoors and 45 outdoors at Kamil’s covered patio. Hookah smoking is permitted both inside and out, but most customers enjoy going outside to smoke, especially during the
warmer summer months. “Back in the day, only our grandmothers and grandfathers used to smoke the hookah,” said Nijm. “But since the invention of flavored tobacco, the younger generation is getting into it.” The part-owner said Kamil’s was affected slightly by the recent recession, but avoided a bigger impact thanks to the culture of his patrons.
Three other Middle-Eastern dining establishments between Piaget and Crooks Ave. are Al Khayam Restaurant (1543 Main Ave.), Al-Jannah Restaurant (1462 Main Ave.) and Baranda Mediterranean Restaurant (1551 Main Ave.). 36
November 2009 • Clifton Merchant