Khaled and Angela Kanj opened Big Moe's last week with the goal of bringing their passion for worldly foods to our neck of the woods.
This becomes apparent when you read the slogan on the menu: "Let your mouth take a trip around the world."
This is exactly what the Kanj family intends to do.
Even the dishes used to serve are from countries such as Italy, Greece, Ireland and Lebanon.
Big Moe's certainly makes for a unique experience.
But for the Kanj family, the idea for their own restaurant came from what could have been a dead end.
Working in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Department of Transportation, Angela Kanj was injured on the job and was no longer able to work. Her husband Khaled made the suggestion to open a restaurant.
"I told her everyone loves her food," Khaled said. "Why not open up a restaurant so everyone can enjoy it?"
Angela has earned a certificate in pastry arts and used to bake for her coworkers. Opening a restaurant seemed to come naturally to her.
Khaled, Angela and their four children left Cleveland behind and moved to Edinboro to bring this region a new outlook on dining.
"We love to go out to nice restaurants, but they're so expensive," Angela said. "And most of them aren't appropriate for kids. We wanted a place where we could have exquisite food in a beautiful atmosphere, but also have it be affordable and kid-friendly."
The menu choices for children under 12 are uncommon; any item on the menu can be shrunk into a child's portion at a fraction of the cost. That includes everything from Big Moe's Monster Burger to falafel.
The environment is set apart from other local eateries.
Photographs from around the globe line the walls, setting a multicultural mood.
Angela, with help from her sister and their friends, re-decorated the space with black upholstery, drapes and other accessories.
One of the things that makes Big Moe's unique is their extensive vegetarian menu, which goes beyond the typical selection of salads or wraps. Instead, they boast half a page of choices for Edinboro's many dedicated vegetarians, including Baba; "eggplant dip topped with garden greens and potato wedges, then rolled in a fresh pita."
And don't worry, the Kanj's remembered to leave room for dessert.
With Angela's experience in baking, the menu boasts "a dessert you can only find at Big Moe's." Homemade cheesecake, baked on location daily by Angela herself, topped with everything from strawberries to a banana split. They call them "Cheesecake Sundaes."
The Kanj's also want students to feel free to bring their artwork to Big Moe's to display or sell it - Big Moe's does not charge a commission fee for art sold.
Big Moe's is located at 318 W. Plum Street (on Route 6N) in Edinboro, and is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for carry-out or dining in.
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