By Tate Papworth
What’s your connection to Brimbank?
I moved here 12 years ago. I lived in Iraq for 12 years. We left there and stayed in Syria for a while before coming over to Australia in 2008.
What do you like best about the area?
I’ve always been in Brimbank since I moved over and have loved it. When you make a home in an area you grow to love it, make friends and that’s what I love about it.
What could be done to improve the area?
I think we need more public transport out here. It would not only benefit the community, but it would also help businesses. For example, if we had more public transport options out here, people could stay longer and not worry about getting home by a certain time.
Tell me a little about your restaurant.
The restaurant is named after my village, Bakhdida, which is located in the north of Iraq. There’s a big Iraqi community out here and getting them all here as a gathering place for the community has been really fantastic to see. When I first opened it wasn’t too busy, but it’s been steadily growing and now we have people of all nationalities coming in to eat.
What sort of food do you serve?
Everyone can expect delicious, traditional Middle Eastern food. On a Friday we have a special dish called paskha which has been very popular. We’ve had people coming in especially for that dish.
Tell me about your journey to Australia.
I lived in Iraq for 12 years. We left there and stayed in Syria for a while before coming over to Australia in 2008. I worked and studied in Syria and then in 2008 I got a visa to Australia and I’m now a citizen.
Was leaving Iraq a tough decision?
There was a war happening so we thought it was better to leave and stay alive rather than stay and not know if you’re going to die.
