Tawakal Restaurant Serves Burnsville with East African Fare

Large portions and tasty food are two of the features of Tawakal Restaurant in Burnsville that make the two owners proud.

Yussuf and Ifrah Shafie are the brother and sister owners of Tawakal Restaurant, located near Heart of the City at 12609 Nicollet Avenue. Ifrah came up with the name for the restaurant, which means "depending on" or "assurance," Yussuf explained in an email to Patch.

Although they serve mostly Somali food at the restaurant, they serve Ethiopian and Kenyan food as well.

Yussuf and Ifrah went to middle school and high school in Burnsville and wanted to start a restaurant that Somalis in the area could go to. With a Somali restaurant in town, people would no longer have to travel all the way to Minneapolis for the food, Ifrah said.

However, Tawakal is not just for Somali Muslims, Shafie added. Non-Muslims also patronize the restaurant.

The restaurant has been open for less a year, but so far “business has been really great,” Ifrah said.

Favorite dishes are the chicken curry and rice and the goat meat and rice. Other foods served include chicken legs, chicken barbecue, fish, gyros and even french fries.

Normal restaurant hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

During Ramadan, Tawakal does not open until 5 p.m. Ramadan is a 30-day period, during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Those who are fasting will buy food to eat later, Ifrah explained. The last day of Ramadan is August 7. 

Favorite dishes during Ramadan is sambusa, which is like an egg roll made with ground beef, and mulawah, which is like a sweet pancake, Yussuf said. Both foods are pictured above. 

Tea is also a common order, Ifrah said.

Both Ifrah and Yussuf pursue other full-time occupations. Ifrah Shafie is a registered nurse at Hennepin County Medical Center and Yussuf Shafie is in a master's program for social work.

Even with their jobs and studies, they try and make sure that there is at least one owner present in the restaurant each day.

Ifrah enjoys the work. “I enjoy talking to people,” she said.

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