MEATY PORTIONS

With an appetite for success and a hunger for innovation, Bahraini brothers Ahmed and Yousif Al Shafei rolled up their sleeves and cooked up a new restaurant concept that has meat eaters from across the region lining up for their special blend of comfort food.

Armed with spices, determination and a dream to be their own bosses, the dynamic duo launched Crave, a hip diner that serves up a limited list of flavoursome fare in a remote area in Riffa.

And while the hidden gem has only been open since the end of May, it has already formed a following of food lovers from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.

Ahmed, 22, a BIBF banking and finance graduate from Riffa, said: “Crave is not like other restaurants you have been to in Bahrain.

“It may not be in a popular location with, say, many other restaurants because where is the uniqueness in that? Instead, it’s in a residential area in Riffa where my brother and I grew up. We have a lot of people asking us why this location? I saw it as an opportunity to be different and, besides, if the food is good then people will come. And that is exactly what is happening. We let our food and hospitality do the talking.

“We have a small menu that offers tasty food. Only the best recipes, that have been tried and tested by my brother and I, make it to the menu. So whatever you order you cannot go wrong or waste time deciding what you want.

“We honestly didn’t know how this would all turn out as it’s our first time ever running a restaurant but we are very glad that we did it.”

The idea started after Ahmed graduated from university. He had been hunting for a job for nearly six months, but didn’t have much luck. Although he received various offers, none suited him.

Eventually, his father Abdulla, a retired marketing manager, stepped in and said: “Khalas (enough) you need to do something.” That was all the fire that Ahmed needed. He immediately approached Yousif, 28, who graduated in architecture from Kingdom University with the idea of launching their own business.

Yousif, who was working at Al Mahrooz Culture Centre at the time, said: “For the past four to five years, I had worked in seven different jobs.

“So, when Ahmed approached me and said let’s start something on our own, depend on ourselves and have no one to answer to, I was more than willing to jump on board.

“I love to set up events, staying in the background and watching things come to life. Ahmed loves to host, having people over and taking care of them. He has always been very hospitable. Starting a restaurant was perfect for us. We have gone to different places and tried food that used to be great, but have changed in flavour due to increasing costs. Most of our dishes are items that you have tried before but with an extra kick to it, or version 2.0 as Ahmed would call it.”

Yousif added: “We wanted to create a restaurant where people can come and be comfortable as well as get their hands dirty diving into a bucket of wings or chomping on chops. We also wanted it to be a good hangout.”

Together, the budding businessmen set out to bring their ‘baby’ to life, driving from one ministry to the other and learning what it takes to stand on their own feet.

Ahmed said: “We did everything on our own. We didn’t have anyone to go to the ministry and get the paperwork sorted. We didn’t know what the Ministry of Health, for example, wanted or needed and when we thought we had it figured out, more requirements followed. It was a new experience for both of us on how to set up a business.

“Still, we learned and did it our way. We didn’t rely on anyone. I would rather make a mistake 16 times; break walls and build walls and do everything on my own because I wanted to learn on my own.

“We had people saying to us don’t do this or it’s best if you do that, but we didn’t care. We believed in our abilities and were confident in our decisions. People keep coming back so we must be doing something right.”

Before opening their doors, Yousif started marketing the eatery on their Instagram social media account @crave_bh, teasing people with images of influential individuals such as Information Affairs Authority television presenter and producer Ameera Al Kooheji, covered in barbecue sauce, with statements such as ‘Who says you can’t be a messy eater and still look adorable?’.

Aside from a captivating campaign, they came up with recipes and fiery flavours including lamb chops, chicken wings, burgers, sloppy Joes and even sweet potato fries. They also support local bakers and dessert makers by adding creations by Mahmood Janahi and Creamy Ribbons Bayan AlKhaja.

Yousif said: “The recipes were a blend of both of us, but honestly Ahmed did most of it. Every time he would come up with something new, he would test it on me. I was his guinea pig and if there was something I didn’t like then we wouldn’t add it to the menu till we tweaked it just right.

“When we decided on the dishes, we staged a food-tasting at our house with family and friends. It was hilarious because after they had the food, each person passed out in a corner. We took that as a good sign.

“Since we opened our nights have been unpredictable. We can have a busier Tuesday than a Thursday or vice versa. We never know when the rush is going to hit but we are always ready. We have been blessed to have such a supportive family as well. We have had cousins come in to place an order and on seeing the rush would help us before getting their food.”

On the opening night, Ahmed and his two chefs manned the kitchen while Yousif and friend Anthony Perlman took care of orders, hosted and even cleaned tables. According to Ahmed, diners were stunned to see Bahrainis picking up trays and taking orders as well as a running a restaurant. He said: “Being in Riffa, it’s very surprising for the residents of the area. It’s strange for Bahrainis to walk in and see us cleaning tables and picking up after people.

“Also, we are not a car service restaurant. When cars honk and we don’t respond, they get annoyed. When they come into the restaurant to yell at us and see that we are Bahraini, they stop.

“It’s really great owning our own place. I have been told that being on the front line will be a hassle because I will get people that don’t appreciate or treat me well. But, honestly it’s great especially because we can also get to neutralise a situation if anything untoward happens.

“We feel really blessed and we advise others to follow their ambition. It may be scary at first but all you need is to take that first step and then your dreams can come true.”

Since the Crave brothers have mastered their mains, it was time to tackle the most important meal of the day, breakfast, which is next on the agenda.

To see what the boys are up to, follow them on Instagram @crave_bh

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The restaurant was as warm and inviting as the Crave brothers. Their minimalistic, lofty look echoed throughout the two-storey venue. Its walls were covered in Banksy-like graffiti and humorous signs giving off a young and trendy vibe.

Also, instead of a wall covered in Polaroids featuring customers, the brothers resurrected Paris’s Love Lock fence for guests to add their special messages or group nicknames. It was a clever touch which has quickly become a big hit with diners. Another fun feature is the chalk board which states different funny messages every day. My favourite message was: “Unattended children will be given espresso & a free kitten.” That sign didn’t last long as some kids walked in asking for kittens.

After admiring the restaurant, I plopped down in a comfy booth and was ready to devour a sample platter of the brothers’ best-sellers.

Ready to get messy, I put on a pair of the disposable plastic gloves found on the table and kept some napkins nearby. The boys definitely thought of everything.

A bucket of sweet potato fries found their way to my table and were scrumptious to the last bite. I loved the combination of seasoning and crunch. Not too soggy or too crunchy, they were just right! The juicy mega buffalo wings were so huge I thought they would take off in flight at any moment. The honey BBQ wings were sweet and savoury at the same time, another great delight. The signature chops flamed to perfection and dunked in their special BBQ sauce were my favourite, although the spice on a stick, which is a lamb chop covered in Arabic spices, was a close second.

Just when I thought I could not eat anymore, they handed me an adorable mini sloppy Joe. It was so cute I didn’t want to eat it and that first bite put an instant smile on my face. I washed all the goodness down with a birthday cake milkshake presented in an old-style milk bottle with rainbow sprinkles on the rim. They call it childhood in a bottle and is a throw-back drink.

Before the food coma completely took over, I said my goodbyes and drove home carefully with a chicken Crave burger and the rest of my potatoes in a cool take-away cardboard box, which was a great bedtime treat.

I can’t wait to try out their desserts next time and the new sandwich I saw Ahmed and Yousif trying out for the first time.