The Yemeni American News<\/p>\n
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. \u2013 As an essential part of Hamtramck\u2019s culture of food and gathering around it, Royal Kabob has been sorely missed. With scant details or updates about the now-vacant storefront, we all seem to be wondering what\u2019s going to happen.<\/p>\n
Royal Kabob\u2019s manager sat down with the Yemeni American News to talk about what\u2019s going on with the old mainstay. Reopening in the coming months, manager Moortadha Obeid wants people to know that the Hamtramck restaurant is going to look a little different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started demolishing all the existing walls and are starting a new restaurant from scratch, [demolishing] plumbing, electric, all the concepts,\u201d Obeid said.<\/p>\n
The new plan for the restaurant has already been submitted to the City of Hamtramck. Obeid says that this new design for his second restaurant is taking cues from the development of past restaurants. With a total overhaul of the restaurant\u2019s layout, the restaurateur is looking to engineer a totally different dining experience for Hamtramck.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had to move the cooking area to what used to be dining area,\u201d Obeid said. \u201cIt’s more comfortable now. We studied the way we used to have customer traffic inside the restaurant, and it was not comfortable. We had to put a lot of study and engineering into the plan to give effective layouts for the restaurant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Royal Kabob initially closed last year after a small fire produced smoke damage throughout the dining and cooking area. Smoke near the restaurant\u2019s hot water tank is thought to be what started the fire.<\/p>\n
The timing couldn\u2019t have been worse, with Governor Whitmer drafting an executive order expanding the seating capacity of Michigan restaurants only days after the fire. With this important step being missed for Royal Kabob, the site sat vacant for more than a year.<\/p>\n
Obeid says he\u2019s hoping for a grand reopening in the beginning of 2022. All of this is dependent on supplies and labor for the restaurant\u2019s redesign. Still, the goal remains for Obeid to create a new gathering place for people to be a part of a community around good food.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re hoping it will be something that will be amazing,\u201d Obeid said. \u201cNice atmosphere that will give the city of Hamtramck something instead of having to go outside Hamtramck to meet people or get together to have some meals.\u201d<\/p>\n