Two brothers from Inverness are following in their family’s footsteps as they open the doors of a new restaurant in Aviemore.
Azim Hussain, 18, and his 20-year-old brother Arif welcomed their first customers to Charcoal yesterday, a fusion restaurant serving Mediterranean and Indian cuisine.
The restaurant was initially launched by Azim and Arif’s father, Abdul Fotik, and their uncle, Jad Hussain.
The family has a string of Inverness food and drink businesses under its belt, including Cinnamon, The Phoenix Ale House, and LaLe Turkish Mediterranean Restaurant.
Azim will be running the restaurant once the team finds its feet.
Arif said: “My brother and I have now joined them [Abdul and Jad] in the hospitality industry as we have a great love and interest in it.
“My father and uncle have given me the role of running Cinnamon and now we have opened Charcoal. We will be letting my brother run the place, with all our assistance.”
A unique setting
Charcoal is located at Station Square, on Grampian Road.
The building is connected to the railway, so customers have access to the platform and can view trains passing by from inside the restaurant.
The restaurant’s opening hours are 12.30pm to 9.30pm daily and it boasts a capacity of 70.
“We received the keys on Monday, October 31,” says Arif.
“We wanted to expand and open another restaurant this year and were looking for the right location and building.”
The interior of the Aviemore restaurant has been adorned with a teal colour scheme and boasts plentiful decor giving a nod to the Highlands.
The wooden flooring and furniture give it a rustic appeal.
In terms of the menu, Arif went on to say: “Customers can expect a fusion menu with chargrill Mediterranean dishes and your favourite Indian curries.”
Menu items include chicken shish, lamb shish, seabass, chickpea casserole, chicken tikka masala, penne masala, a vegetarian burger, and fish and chips.
Dish prices vary from £4.95 to £22.95.
The next chapter
Azim said: “We are mainly a family-run business and this helps greatly in being successful.
“Our first venture in the Highlands was Royal Tandoori, which opened in 2000 in Aviemore. From there, my father was the chef for three years before we moved and opened Cinnamon in Inverness in 2003.”
Arif added: “We have also owned other takeaways down south in England, which we sold to move up to Scotland.
“Abdul and Jad sold their shares in Royal Tandoori in Aviemore in 2007 to my great uncle and have been in Cinnamon to this day.”
On the opening of Charcoal, they said: “The opening is exciting as we start a new chapter and get together from our other restaurant to help get a successful opening.”
The food
The interior
Conversation