Lebanese café and Ferndale favorite Anita’s Kitchen will be bringing its flavors to two new locations soon. Owners Jennifer and Joe Wegrzyn will open another branch in Lake Orion, Oakland County, and fast-casual dining place (called AK Takeaway) in downtown Detroit.
Kate Roff chats to Joe about why the AK brand is branching out and how the stalwart restaurant is changing.
Metromode: Tell us about how it all started for Anita’s Kitchen.
Joe: It’s generational. Both of my in-laws [Pierre and Anita Farah] are originally from Lebanon so most of our menu today continues that tradition of things that they had on a daily basis. They came out to the ‘States in the ‘50s, and the opportunity came up in 1980 where they were able to get into a food court out in Farmington – famously known as Tally Hall. At that time, they became, singularly, the first Middle-Eastern Lebanese restaurant in all of Oakland County. For 38 years they struck a chord and had great success, and Jennifer and I have been involved for the last 15 years.
Metromode: Why have you chosen downtown Detroit and Lake Orion to expand?
Joe: Ferndale couldn’t be more central – and I think that story’s been told quite a few times, my wife Jennifer grew up in Ferndale, so it was a bit of a homecoming when we located that restaurant in 2008 there. Given the amount of patronage that we’ve had from people who have come from Detroit proper as well as coming from as far north as Flint, the idea of expansion was always part of a communal conversation with our guests, who were always hopeful that we’d come to an area near them.
Metromode: Why a “fast-casual” style for downtown Detroit, how will AK Takeaway differ from Anita’s?
Joe: We’ve reduced our [downtown Detroit] menu to a point where we think we can make all of those items incredibly fresh but at the same time incredibly fast. Its location is just so central to commercial America – the 9-to-5 people who are working Monday through Friday – so serving breakfast and lunch down there is a natural extension of the menu. It’s all fast – people only have a finite amount of time so being able to get them a salad, a sandwich, a soup, or a bowl (that we’ll be introducing down there) and being able to get them in and out the door within 7 minutes, so they can enjoy a lunch hour, instead of standing in line, is really the focus for us.
Metromode: Your Lake Orion location is in a historic building, how are you incorporating the history in the new space?
Joe: We’ve had a long-term commitment, and connection to, Lake Orion. Our children were educated at a small farm-based school in Lake Orion/Oxford, Upland Hills, so we’ve become part of that community through the years. It really is why we’ve taken this old building and are looking to rehab it back into something that maintains the history of the community but at the same time it’s bringing a diversity of menu selection and is – hopefully – just another great gem that adds to the growing desire for people to come and visit Lake Orion. Jack Kobliska, and his company Lands Friend Builders, has done an amazing job of taking that building and stripping to down to its shell and revealing a lot of great features that we hope to keep in there, as well as some of the new additions.
Metromode: What’s the toughest part of being restaurant owners in Detroit at the moment?
Joe: I think the renaissance that’s going on in Detroit area, in general, is amazing, I mean, it’s what we all hoped for! But when that happens you get this proliferation of so many great competing restaurants out there, so man-power and staffing models become a challenge.
Metromode: What’s the key to running a successful restaurant here in Detroit?
Joe: Maintaining a high-quality customer service comes down to the people factor. So for us, we spend a lot of time working with those who work alongside us, we don’t necessarily take the approach that people work for us, we like to think that everybody works with us, on trying to continue the Anita’s Kitchen story. Fundamentally it comes down to the people. That’s what sets you apart in this industry.
Metromode: Favorite item on your menu right now?
Joe: It always goes to hummus for me. What I’ve been doing is taking our jalapeño hummus and having it within a pita sandwich, and I think the combination of flavors and that little bit of heat is one of my favorite items going on right now. It is terrific.
Metromode Where else can we catch you eating in Detroit?
Joe: We have two sons, and it’s always been important to Jen and me to take them out and let them explore different flavors and concepts, so the small-plate thing that’s been going on has always struck a chord with us. There are places like La Feria, which is a Spanish tapas place in Mid-town, and Chartreuse, those two places do an unbelievable job of allowing you to blend a lot of different things.
Metromode: When can we visit your new places?
Joe: Downtown should be late April, and Lake Orion will be late 2018 would be my anticipation date.
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