Today we’d like to introduce you to Edrees Abdo.
Hi Edrees, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Edrees Mahmood Abdo, owner of Kabsah Restaurant in Houston.
My journey in the restaurant business started more than ten years ago in Orlando, Florida, where I opened my first Kabsah Restaurant. It was the realization of a dream — bringing the authentic flavors of Yemeni cuisine, especially kabsah and traditional smoked meats, to the American table. That first experience taught me a great deal about hard work, adapting recipes to new tastes, and the true power of hospitality.
After years of success in Orlando, I decided to expand to Houston, a city famous for its vibrant and diverse food scene. In June 2023, I opened Kabsah Restaurant at 3330 Hillcroft Street. I wanted to create a warm, welcoming space where both the Yemeni and Arab community, along with Houston locals, could enjoy genuine Yemeni home-style cooking.
The road wasn’t always easy — managing restaurants in two different cities, sourcing reliable suppliers, and balancing family and business — but the smiles on our customers’ faces and the growing demand for our dishes, kabsah, haneeth, mandi, muqalqal, and the famous fahsa served with fresh tanoor bread, renew my motivation every single day.
Today, Kabsah Restaurant in Houston continues to grow. We host weddings and special events, and we are developing the “The Yemeni Smokehouse” concept to introduce more customers to the rich tradition of Yemeni smoked meats. What began as a small dream in Orlando over a decade ago has become a family legacy that I am proud to carry forward in Houston.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We faced the usual difficulties in the restaurant world, such as staff turnover, rising food prices, and the intense competition in Houston’s food scene.
However, these obstacles taught me patience, resilience, and the importance of holding on to my passion. The support of Houston’s diverse community, along with the positive feedback from new customers discovering our dishes, has given success an even sweeter taste and flavor.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What distinguishes us is presenting authentic Yemeni dishes in a way that suits the diverse community in Houston, as well as the quality of the ingredients and the rich flavors
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I see a very promising future for Yemeni cuisine in the United States over the next 5-10 years. I expect it to become one of the prominent ethnic cuisines, similar to Greek, Mexican, Indian, and Chinese cuisine.
Although we face a challenge in introducing Yemeni food to the American community, we see new customers every day discovering our dishes and loving them, then recommending them to their friends and families. This natural word-of-mouth spread confirms that the industry is continuously expanding.
Insha’Allah, we plan to expand to many cities in Texas soon, and then to neighboring states, to bring authentic Yemeni flavors to a wider
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kabsah.menus-sa.com/en
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kabsah.tx?igsh=MXZ5Nml5ZHY0aTdleA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18zaHuKbHQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
