Richardson | March 2023

DINING FEATURE

BY KEVIN CUMMINGS

TRADITIONAL FLAVORS In addition to popular menu items like chicken shawarma, beef and lamb shawarma, falafel, and hummus, Madina Moroccan and Mediterranean Fusion features two dishes that represent the previous owner’s Moroccan heritage and current owner Adam Rabi’s Jordanian upbringing:

Bistella —a sweet and savory Moroccan phyllo dough stued with chicken, eggs, almonds,

and loads of herbs and spices.

Adam Rabi, owner, looks to give patrons an authentic taste of his native Jordan.

Mansaf (served on Fridays) —a dish made of lamb, rice and nuts in a yogurt-based sauce that is considered to be the Jordanian national dish.

Chicken and beef/lamb shawarma, made with spices from Jordan, are among the restaurant’s most popular items. (Photos by Kevin Cummings/Community Impact)

Madina Moroccan and Mediterranean Fusion Restaurant brings Jordanian avors to Richardson’s Main Street A dam Rabi remembers watching his family cook during his childhood Along with avors, Rabi looks to bring the sense of community from

Rabi said he wants Madina to be known for its hummus, among other things.

Madina Moroccan and Mediterra- nean Fusion. At the time, the restau- rant was serving up Moroccan food, so Rabi brought his own Jordanian air to the recipe book and called it Mediterranean fusion. “I always look forward to [making] this something that has special tastes,” Rabi said. To help his restaurant stand out, Rabi brings the avors of home to Madina, buying spices from an importer that sources them from the Middle East. In addition, he says he focuses on the quality rather than the cost. “For me, to make the food authen- tic, it doesn’t matter how much it’s going to cost me; I just want to show the customer good tastes,” Rabi said.

his childhood to Richardson. He said growing up, when his family would have a picnic or a barbecue in the park, everyone walking by was welcome to join, and that is something he wants his customers to feel each time they sit down. With the success he has seen, Rabi is hoping to grow his footprint in Richardson. Ultimately, he said he hopes to nd a larger restaurant to expand into, allowing the menu and number of people he can serve to grow. “It doesn’t matter where [the customer] is from; they come to my restaurant, they are like my family,” Rabi said.

Madina Moroccan and Mediterranean Fusion 114 E. Main St., Richardson 214-774-9120 www.madinamoroccan.com Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun. noon-10 p.m.

in Jordan, and it is those avors and sense of family that he now looks to bring into his Richardson restaurant. “I started cooking when I was 6 or 7 years old,” Rabi said. “I would go to the kitchen and look to my mom because she loves cooking.” Prior to opening his rst restau- rant—a pizza joint—around seven years ago, Rabi worked as a truck driver. While on the road, he said he tried Mediterranean food in about 45 states, giving him time to gure out what worked and what did not. About four years later, Rabi took ownership of what would become

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RICHARDSON EDITION • MARCH 2023