News From : DagangHalal.com (24 Dec 2009)
Now the heart of Moscow, at the prestigious Strastnoy Boulevard, has two restaurants with fully halal food and the complete absence of alcohol.
One of them, the restaurant Kyoto, which opened in 2008, was named the best Japanese restaurant, and is premium class. Another restaurant ‘Sharm el-Sheikh’ fits into the restaurants for the middle class.
They are owned by a restraunteur with 23 years of experience Ababukur Kambulatovich Bekmurza. In the past he was general manager of the restaurant complex in the hotel “Russia”.
According to A. Bekmurzieva: “In Moscow the number of restaurants with halal cuisine is very small, but with halal cuisine without alcohol – none. A month ago I decided to make the restaurants “Sharm al-Sheikh” and “Kyoto” completely halal and no alcohol. I was not afraid to make this step and possibly lose their benefits. When I am asked whether I had a business plan, or a feasibility study, I say that was not considered. I counted only one thing: before God, we must have the answer, we do not know whether He will forgive us our past sins and ask God not make them in the future. I personally took this decision. And I think that was right.
Also, I received very strong support among my staff, and among my friends, and especially among the clients. Many people love to eat at Kyoto and Sharm al-Sheikh. I gave them a choice. Today you can come to a beautiful restaurant with good service, with delicious food. To come to be with your family, children, wives, sisters. No drinking, no drunken people who show bad behavior. In our restaurant smoking is not welcome. We even wrote about it with humor on the plates at the tables. The restaurants have healthy food, which now stretches the world.
What is halal to eat? This is slaughtered with the name of God, no carrion. The meat, is drained of the blood, as the most impurity is in the blood. That is halal which leads to health. Our restaurant has room for prayers. However, we are inviting not only Muslims but also for all those seeking sobriety and healthy lifestyles .”
Talking about how colleagues in the restaurant business reacted to the creation of his restaurants without alcohol , Ababukur Bekmurza said: “In Moscow, a lot of restaurants have their own direction, with their own kitchens, with their quirks. Some believe that it is just a whim. But I want to give choices to people who do not want to drink and do not like smoking. Restaurant is like fashion. When someone creates something, he is not sure that there will be buyers. In our business, we need the good reviews, people love to create beauty and comfort, love tasty food. Let the client decide where to go to eat. ”
“I am confident that halal restaurants without alcohol are the future of the restaurant business. A sober and healthy lifestyle – the future of our country ,” A. Bekmurza concluded with optimism .