Brothers bring Mediterranean fusion flavours to Bayview

Brothers Farouk and Mohamed Rashwan were planning on looking for a location downtown for their second 2 Bros Cuisine eatery, when the former Rosie’s Diner site on Bayview Avenue came available.

Immediately they realized this would be a better location.

They knew people in the Leaside area liked falafel and they could find no other falafel places nearby.

“It’s a good area, where local people like to support local restaurants,” says Farouk Rashwan, who now runs 2 Bros on Bayview while older brother Mohamed runs the original shop on Royal York Road.

“We have the best falafel in town,” Rashwan says, citing online surveys that rated 2 Bros highly. “So it seemed like a good fit.”

The brothers opened on Bayview near the end of August and, so far, it seems to be working.

“Everybody who comes in keeps telling me they needed something like this in the neighbourhood — affordable, tasty — and they love the variety,” Rashwan says.

The restaurant offer s falafel, shwarma,  kebab and other Mediterranean items, as well as North American fare such as fajitas and poutine. It’s a combination that they call Mediterranean fusion.

The Mediterranean cuisine is done in the Egyptian style, using the spices that the brothers picked up in their Middle Eastern native land.

Farouk recalls getting his early experience at hotels in Egypt, working his way up to chef.

When he came to Canada seven years ago, he wanted to start his own business but he worked in restaurants to get experience with the industry here.

But within two years, the brothers were ready to start their own business with the first 2 Bros in Etobicoke.

And five years later, after that success, they were ready to expand into midtown.