Adding a colorful dash of flavor to the Lowcountry, these families are blending their passion for culture with the soul of Mount Pleasant, transporting their friends and neighbors to other worlds where ethnic cuisine stirs in layers of depth and richness to enhance their livelihood.
Malika
Born and raised in Pakistan, Maryam Ghaznavi grew up in the heart of her family’s home, the kitchen, where she became the “chief taste tester” of her sister, mother and grandmother’s fragrant biryanis, karahis, saags and kababs.
As a young girl, Ghaznavi enjoyed venturing out with family and friends into the bustling streets lined with vendors and roadside cafes called dhabas, where they savored snacks such as chaats and biryanis. With a passion for cooking and tasting the exquisite flavors of these and other such textured dishes, Ghaznavi decided to become a chef.
When Ghaznavi relocated from her home country to Canada, she met native Pakistani Raheel Gauba, who is now her husband. Then, after moving to Charleston, Ghaznavi and Gauba launched a meal delivery service featuring their fast casual Pakistani street food concept, which led to running a pop-up at the Warehouse in 2020. That venture was so successful that in 2021, Ghaznavi, executive chef and owner, along with Gauba, creative director and co-owner, opened Malika Canteen in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre.
As Ghaznavi said, “Malika was created to deliver the flavors, sights and sounds that mean the world to me, but what I hope you’ll walk away with are moments that you will cherish forever.”
In 2023, due to the growing popularity of the brand, they opened a second restaurant, Ma’am Saab, downtown on Meeting Street.
To spice up your day, reserve a table at www.malikacanteen.com.
Pattaya Thai
When Bunpo Lor, his wife Chheng Hong, their son Devit Lor and daughter Kim Lor moved to Charleston from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 2006, the family spoke little to no English. According to Kim, that challenge didn’t deter the family from pursuing their dream of a better life in America.
When an aunt who owned a Pattaya Thai restaurant had openings for cooks, Bunpo and Chheng didn’t hesitate to take on the role. In 2015, after spending seven years in the kitchen at Pattaya, Bunpo and Chheng bought the restaurant, named for the famous beach in Thailand. By then, Kim and Devit had become fluent in English and were brought on board to manage the front of the house.
When asked about the most rewarding part of working in the restaurant business with her family, Kim answered that she loves getting to see her mom, dad and brother every day, while serving the community together. She also noted that whether it’s popular dishes like Pad Thai, Korean curry, coconut soup, basil leaf stir fry, Tom Yum or Tom Kha, her mother and father put their heart and soul into every single meal that they cook for their customers.
Since Pattaya Thai doesn’t accept reservations, visit the Lors at 607 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. “We are open seven days a week. Come by and see us anytime,” said Kim.
Nick’s German Kitchen
Guten Appetit from Nick and Kelly Ruhotina! As restaurateurs since 2004, the Ruhotinas founded an upscale boutique restaurant called Mezzo in Darmstadt, Germany. Fifteen years later, the Mezzo brand, blending European specialties with a focus on German and Italian cuisine, found its way to Mount Pleasant, where in 2021, the Ruhotinas renamed the establishment Nick’s German Kitchen, based on the high demand for more of his specialties like the schnitzel and spaetzle.
At 15, the Ruhotinas’ son Devin started hosting at Nick’s and now at 18, he is a server, delivering additional authentic dishes such as bratwurst, bread dumplings, pork chops, Berlin-style veal liver, potato pancakes and Bavarian pretzels paired with creamy sauerkraut and sweet mustard.
“The most rewarding part of having a family-run business,” said Kelly, “is definitely our intimate atmosphere and the friendships that we have formed with our guests. And it’s wonderful to be so close to the community every single day and to hear firsthand how our dining experiences impact people, evoking memories of past trips or family meals. That sense of belonging is so important not only for our guests, but for us as well.”
To make a reservation, visit nicksgerman.com.
LoLA
Inspired by the mysterious aura of the foggy swamp culture of Louisiana, Jeff Filosa and his two sons, Nick Filosa and Matt Filosa, launched Louisiana Seafood Kitchen, a food truck catering and traveling lunch service, in 2011.
When the business grew so quickly that the truck could only hold enough supplies for an hour and a half, it became clear that the Filosas needed to open a brick-and-mortar space. In 2016, they founded LoLA in Park Circle and by the end of 2023 the brand had expanded into Mount Pleasant.
Now, Matt runs the kitchen in Park Circle, while Nick oversees the Mount Pleasant location. Jeff said that in between times his daughter, Ali Filosa, helped at the Park Circle location as a server and bartender.
Having cooked what he called “Gulf Coast cuisine” since he was a boy, and with extensive experience in the restaurant industry dating back to the 1970s, Filosa said that he has invested decades in learning how to cook authentic Cajun food. His formula for running a successful restaurant business is inherent from his Italian heritage, which he said is akin to the Cajun culture of cooking together as families and competing over who has the best recipe. Filosa added that he prides himself on LoLA’s high level of service and dressed-down comfort food that invites guests to feel at home.
Whether ordering the etouffee, gumbo, jambalaya, gator bites, boudin sausage or the freshest crawfish overnighted from Louisiana, pair your courses with a hurricane cocktail and you’ll be transported into the magical world of Creole culture.
Visit lolaparkcircle.com to reserve your table.
By Sarah Rose
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