In 2012, the Hajomar family — Nidal, his wife Suher, and their twin sons Hadi and Hani — took to Anaheim to open Aleppo’s Kitchen, a culinary ode to the northern city in Syria of the same name and Suher’s hometown.
The restaurant resided in what’s known as “Little Arabia” — a claustrophobic collection of businesses comprised of Middle Eastern restaurants, cafes, hookah lounges, and ethnic markets — before moving to its present location near the Angel Stadium. Suher helms Aleppo’s’ kitchen strictly, cooking authentic high-quality food she learned from her mother with an unwillingness to compromise standards for savings.
After an arduous journey spanning several years and a near-death COVID experience for Nidal, the family is now making changes to their restaurant, adding American-Syrian fusion foods, implementing an incoming hookah patio, and making a managerial addition as Nidal passes the torch to his 22-year-old son, Hadi.
A What Now Orange County with Aleppo’s new impresario regarding additional changes and details is forthcoming.
