Habib Cuisine: New Choice in Dining

By Monique Vondall-Rieke
Contributing Writer

What still holds the sign of the former Piccolo Restaurant at 2225 13th Avenue South in Fargo is now a treasure box of delightful African and Middle Eastern cuisine with ambiance in the making.

I visited Habib Cuisine just four days after its opening—on a whim—and was definitely pleased at my choice of dinner for my husband and four-year-old son.

Habib is run by a family. The night I visited, two brothers and one sister were running the family restaurant. All were friendly and polite, offering suggestions for the menu, which they apologetically explained was a work in the making.

Our family choices were Goat Meat platter for my husband, Chicken platter for me, and Chicken Legs for my son. The waiter immediately emerged from the back of the restaurant with three cups of soup. We quickly learned that it was a creamy potato vegetable soup that was so tasty, I decided to drink the last gulp of it.

We also ordered appetizers. The name escapes me, but the triangular, fine meat-filled appetizers at ninety-eight cents apiece were a bargain for the flavors unleashed after biting into one.

The goat meat was succulent, and the chicken flavored with peppers and a slightly spicy sauce. Two-thirds of each plate was served on a bed of African rice with sautéed vegetables. The entire three entrees proved too much for the two and a half of us and we took home leftovers to delight in later.

The mother of the three young restaurateurs telephoned while we were eating and apologized for not being able to be there in person but thanked us for stopping in for dinner.

The food kept coming at an interesting pace, first one platter, then another and another. Finally, Bajiye was gifted to our table by the hostess sister gratis and we delighted in a semi-spicy bean ball of flavors again. So, if you go, share platters, share fun and share gracious hosts who are eager to make your experience a worthwhile one.

The new restaurant promises to be a delightful culinary addition to the Fargo-Moorhead area. The price is right at around $9 per entrée and for three people, appetizers at $3. The service is terrific and the atmosphere friendly.

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If You Go

What: Habib Cuisine
Where: 2225 13th Ave S
When: Every day, 7am-9pm
Info: 701.365.0796