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E D E N R E S T A U R A N T & E V E N T S R E O P E N S W I T H U P D A T E D M E N U , P A T I O A N D M O R E

By Diane Krieger Spivak | Photos provided by Eden Restaurant & Events

After COVID-19 temporarily shuttered Illinois restaurants last fall, Omar Musfi used the closing as an opportunity to take his Eden Restaurant & Events to a new level. The result has brought back longtime fans — from as far away as Florida — to St. Charles to see the upgrades. Musfi took on a new partner, Jamal Amro, and made sweeping changes while keeping true to Eden’s Mediterranean roots. To those who loved it before, with its reopening in April, you have the chance to reconnect once more with the upscale eatery along the Fox River. To those who haven’t had the pleasure, now is the time to take in the experience, which includes a new name, upgraded menu, renovated interior and patio, increased capacity and live entertainment.

The renovation doubled the capacity to 2,000 square feet by enclosing Eden’s popular outdoor patio on the river, adding a roof and screens. “We opened the restaurant from the inside to the outside with panoramic glass doors, so now the entire restaurant is considered outdoor seating,” says Musfi. Eden can now seat up to 200 people, whereas it previously could only seat 85-90, inside or outside. Additionally, the patio can be heated in the winter, so patrons can enjoy unmatched views of the Fox River year-round. “We had a lot of requests for events but we couldn’t accommodate larger groups before,” says Musfi. Now Eden can book weddings, showers, corporate events and more. They’ve changed the menu, notes Musfi, taking

care to note the food will maintain its authentic Mediterranan roots, but with a more modern flair and expanded offerings, including Spanish, Greek and Moroccan.

Eden’s new chef, Raul Reynoso, has teamed up with Musfi to modernize authentic recipes “in a way to appeal to more people,” says Musfi. “For example, with our chicken skewers we use seasoned couscous instead of rice now. The presentation is different, the plates are even different. It’s more an upscale fine dining restaurant.” An expanded wine list and more craft cocktails are also on the menu, like the handcrafted Bravo Jalapeño, made with Montelobos Mezcal, roasted pineapple, jalapeño and freshly squeezed lime juice, “shaken, to create the perfect smooth tropical balance.” With exposed wood beams, brick interior walls, murals and cloth table coverings, Eden contains “industrial, elegant and rustic elements” at the same time. Why come to Eden? Musfi sums it up: “The view, the food, the ambience and the live music. Live music is big for me.” Musfi, an internationally known percussionist who performed with the Syrian National Orchestra, holds a master’s degree in music and is a professor of music. “Food and music put the restaurant together,” he says, noting Eden’s music is different from most other venues, offering flamenco, Latin jazz, South American, Greek and Indian. “I try to

bring different cultures to the restaurant,” he says. The music is just one of the things Maj Panfil loves about Eden. “I love the flamenco dancing and the singing,” says Panfil, who is a regular customer. “They’re always there on weekends. It’s one of my favorite places.” Panfil, who is half Middle Eastern, says the food is “close to the home cooking I grew up with. My children love it, too.” Her favorite is the sampler platter, with hummus, baba ghanoush and dipping sauces with warm pita bread. “What’s shocking is how fabulous their burgers are,” adds Panfil. “I’m a burger fanatic. It’s how they season the meat. It doesn’t even need ketchup.” Tony Nicolas, also a regular, recently came back for the reopening after relocating to Florida. “It’s a unique environment when they do live music events, and the food is awesome. Their craft cocktails make it unique,” says Nicolas. “It’s always a special place to visit. It doesn’t feel like a regular restaurant.”

 EDEN RESTAURANT & EVENTS 1 Illinois St., St. Charles 630-945-3332 www.edenstcharles.com

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