Connecticut
Shah’s Halal Food, ‘cultural phenomenon’ restaurants, expanding to two CT towns
Halal food, such as chicken over rice with white sauce, has become a “cultural phenomenon,” says the co-owner of a chain of restaurants that plans to expand into Newington and Danbury.
Shah’s Halal Food, which began in a food cart in Queens, N.Y., in 2005 and opened its first store in 2016, has gone international, with restaurants as far as California, Canada and England. In Connecticut, Shah’s has two locations in Stamford and one each in Norwalk and Orange.
“The whole concept of halal obviously originated in New York City street food, pretty much started on a mobile cart,” said Khalid Mashriqi, a co-owner of the family business.
“And we took it and put it into a store concept. It’s pretty much turned almost into a cultural phenomenon where people, especially the younger crowd and the middle-aged crowd, are used to going out and grabbing something quick,” he said.
“For them halal pretty much means the chicken over rice and then on top with the white sauce and the hot sauce,” he said.
Shah’s serves gyros as well as plates, with lamb and beef as well as chicken. And while all the food is certified to conform to halal, Muslim religious law, Mashriqi said that’s not the main draw.
“When people say halal, they don’t think of the religious aspect. It’s really become a cultural aspect,” he said. And the food is delicious as well, he said.
“You have the halal food, which basically caters to the Muslim community, and then … people are coming and eating this food because … they’re loving the food, they’re loving the flavor,” Mashriqi said.
“Are they coming there for the religious aspect of it? No. It’s the best of both worlds for us,” he said.
Halal food can’t contain pork or alcohol, and meat must be slaughtered in compliance with Islamic law.
In Newington, Shah’s has petitioned to open at 26 Fenn Road in the Stop and Shop plaza, where Weight Watcher’s was previously. Details about the Danbury location were not immediately available.
Mashriqi said both should be open within a month or two. The Newington application will go before the Town Plan and Zoning Commission on Sept. 27 at Town Hall, 200 Garfield St.
Ed Stannard can be reached at estannard@courant.com.