Mazaar – The Road To Becoming A Local Dining Destination
What makes a great restaurant? Is it the food? The atmosphere? The staff? There are so many factors that go into running and operating a successful restaurant in today’s tough economic climate — from cuisine style, to location, to menu items — the list is often as long as the choices for the daily specials. We like to dine out when we can find the time and I’ve always had a special spot for the awesome food and service at Mazaar Lebanese Cuisine (372 Ouellette Avenue and 350 Cabana Road East).
I started dining at Mazaar in 2008 and I constantly come back for the food — which I will get to in a minute — and the ambience. I also return time and time again because of one of the owners, Imad Najjar. His business ethic and level of customer service has kept us loyal customers over the years.
Najjar’s commitment to customer service and hard work has deep roots. He moved to Canada from Lebanon in 1992 for school in Toronto. Then he moved to Windsor for more schooling, fell in love with the Rose City and in 1998 started Rocky Motors (975 Tecumseh Road East) with his brothers. The car business took off and once his brothers finished schooling he decided it was time to start a new venture together — a casual upscale Lebanese restaurant with fresh, healthy food and superior service.
Najjar has been in the press lately after recently winning the 2016 “Best Business Lunch” in the Tourism Windsor Essex and Pelee Island Windsor “Best of Windsor Essex” Awards and the 2016 Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber Of Commerce “Business Excellence Award” for “Entrepreneur of the Year.” His journey through the years of transforming Mazaar into a dining destination is one of hard work and perseverance with finding a need in the Windsor restaurant scene and filling the void.
