Spicing up downtown
Zimbabwean restaurant adds to Bethlehem’s diverse dining scene
Downtown Bethlehem’s dining scene may look a little different these days — with servers in face masks, tables in parking spots and reduced capacity indoors.
However, its deliciously diverse lineup of restaurants — from such European destinations as Tapas on Main, McCarthy’s Red Stag Pub and Mama Nina Foccacheria to other international hot spots such as Thai Thai II, Casa Del Mofongo and Ghanaian fusion lounge Coal — remains vibrant and ready to welcome foodies with varying taste buds.
The latest restaurant to heat up the city’s contrasting culinary front is Braai Hut.
The 75-seat restaurant, offering traditional Zimbabwean cuisine, opened Aug. 8 at 216 E. Broad St.
Owner and chef Sibu Mafundikwa, a native of Zimbabwe who moved to the United States in 2012, is aiming to introduce Lehigh Valley residents to “the unique culinary delights of south Africa, especially flame-grilled peri peri chicken.”
“Coming from New York, where there are so many fabulous ethnic restaurants, I was a little discouraged to find such a large void in this type of cuisine in the Lehigh Valley,” Mafundikwa said. “Since I have a passion for cooking, I decided the easiest way to give people a taste of Zimbabwe was to make the dishes myself. My goal is to offer a place where people can relax, feel at home and gather with loved ones around great food and drinks.”
Mafundikwa began learning how to cook alongside family members around age 10. The hobby quickly evolved into a passion, and since then her professional life has mirrored her personal interest with stints at restaurants and hotels in Stockholm, New York and other major cities.
“Operating a restaurant has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I’m so happy to be doing it with the help of my husband and daughters,” said Mafundikwa, who’s also held management positions at Renaissance Allentown, Kutztown’s Hampton Inn and other local hotels in recent years.
Braai, which means barbecue in Afrikaans, specializes in flame-grilled peri peri chicken, including kebabs, wings and half and whole chickens. Pricing ranges from $9 for a quarter chicken with one side to $35 for a family-style “Braai Goodness Platter,” featuring a whole chicken and three large sides.
“The peri peri sauce, made from bird’s eye chili and fresh herbs, is what really gives the chicken its unique, slightly spicy flavor,” Mafundikwa said.
Other menu highlights include such finger foods as chicken gizzards and beef and vegetable samosas; salads like the Cobb and Hut Fusion (kale, feta, mango, strawberry, raisins and cucumber); the peri-peri veggie burger and pineapple chicken burger; and sides such as couscous, mac and cheese, roasted corn, lemon and herb fries and chakalaka beans (baked beans with mixed vegetables).
The space, which previously housed other restaurants such as Street Eatz and Sweet Indulgence Cafe, showcases African-made decor such as paintings, fans and baskets.
Braai Hut, offering outdoor dining, takeout and catering, is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Info: 484-523-9032.
More foodie finds
Staying on the topic of international eats, fast-casual eateries Uno Taqueria and Takkii Ramen, offering Mexican and Japanese cuisines respectively, are set to open alongside each other within the next couple of months at 1042 Mill Creek Road, across from Walmart, in Lower Macungie Township.
Uno, specializing in Mexican-style street tacos, is expected to open in three to four weeks, according to Humberto Chavolla, who will operate the business with his wife, Elia.
The 24-seat restaurant, occupying the space that previously housed Cold Stone Creamery and The Green Pepper, will be the second Lower Macungie restaurant for the Chavollas.
In March, the couple opened the full-service Casa Catrina Mexican restaurant at 1905 Brookside Road, shortly after closing their 15-year-old Mexican restaurant, Fiesta Olé, on Chestnut Street in Emmaus.
At Uno, tacos will be served on made-on-site soft shell corn tortillas and will include varieties such as al pastor, brisket, chicken, seafood, goat barbacoa, cactus, carnitas and veggie.
Other dishes like burritos, quesadillas, guacamole, and rice and beans also will be served, Humberto Chavolla said, along with freshsqueezed juices and rotating homemade salsas.
“We’ll have a lot of spicy and sweet salsas — pineapple, chocolate, strawberry and so on,” he added. Info: 484-332-2419.
Takkii Ramen, specializing in Japanese noodle dishes, is expected to open by the end of September, according to chef and owner Marco Lu.
The 28-seat restaurant, occupying the space that previously housed Quiznos and Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, will be a sister restaurant to Rakkii Ramen, which opened in December 2018 at 328 S. New St. in south Bethlehem.
After studying the art of ramen making in Yokohama, Japan, Lu decided to leap into the ramen craze with his growing restaurant brand, which also has locations in Doylestown, Bucks County; Smithtown, New York; and New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Another location is expected to open in October at the forthcoming Trolley Barn Public Market in Quakertown, Lu said.
A handful of popular Rakkii dishes, including spicy miso and tonkotsu ramen (housemade pork broth, ajitsuke tamago, chashu, bamboo shoots, scallions, nori, narutomaki and black garlic oil) will carry over to the Lower Macungie restaurant.
However, 80% of the new restaurant’s menu will be comprised of fresh creations, including new rice bowls and ramen selections, Lu said. Info: takkiiramen.com.
A final foodie tidbit: Sazon Dominicano, a Dominican restaurant that opened in January at 129 Bridge St. in Catasauqua, on Monday
moved to a larger space less than a block away at 215 Bridge St. (former Hill’s Restaurant), owner Robinson Perez said.
Sazon, offering seating for 45 customers, offers popular dishes such as Cuban sandwiches, tostones and mofongo. Other menu highlights include such appetizers as fried sweet plantains, stuffed potato balls and Spanish beef patties; chicken selections like hot Buffalo wings, garlic chicken breast and oven-roasted chicken; and meat selections such as barbecue ribs, pepper steak, and oxtail and goat stews.
With his brother, Wally Almonte, Perez also operates another Dominican restaurant, El Tipico, on West Emmaus Avenue in south Allentown. Info: 610-443-0230.
Closing notes
I’ll finish with a few closing notes:
First, as my colleague Jon Harris reported, Stein Mart Inc., a discount department store chain with a location at South Mall in Salisbury Township, on Wednesday announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The company, which has 281 stores across 30 states, “expects to close a significant portion, if not all, of its brick-and-mortar stores.” Also, it has launched a store closing and liquidation process, and is evaluating strategic alternatives, including the potential sale of its e-commerce business and related property.
“The combined effects of a challenging retail environment coupled with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have caused significant financial distress on our business,” Stein Mart CEO and CFO
Hunt Hawkins said in a news release.
Second, Unwine with Art ,a wine bar and local art and crafts emporium, recently closed its brick-and-mortar location after a year of business at 9 N. Second St. in downtown Easton.
The business, co-owned by artist Mary Reshetar and winemaker Joel Ritter, featured studio space for art classes; retail space for locally produced goods such as paintings, pottery and jewelry; and a wine bar where customers could purchase Unwine Vineyards wines — made with grapes from Ritter’s 50-acre vineyard in the Finger Lakes region of central New York.
Reshetar and Ritter plan to continue operating Unwine in another format, according to a post on the business’ Facebook page.
“We will work on online sales, festivals, restaurants and then another brick and mortar in the future,” the June 25 post reads. “We are still selling wine and I am still making paintings.” Info: unwinevineyards.com.
Lastly, plus-size retailer Catherine’s, with a store at the Whitehall Mall, plans to close all of its 320 bricks-and-mortar stores, but it intends to continue as an online-only business.
The upcoming closures were announced as parent company Ascena Retail Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late July.
The New Jersey company plans to sell Catherines’ intellectual property and transition its e-commerce business to City Chic Collective Limited.
Ascena will continue to operate its Ann Taylor, LOFT, Lane Bryant, Justice and Lou & Grey brands through a reduced number of retail stores and online.
The Whitehall Catherine’s, which is hosting a liquidation sale with items discounted 40% to 70% off, is expected to close within the next few weeks, a worker said.