EZ Kebab, a catering company specializing in Lebanese street food, announced the opening of its first brick-and-mortar location in Costa Mesa. The new restaurant, which opened in April, serves the authentic Lebanese cuisine that has made EZ Kebab a favorite among catering clients in Orange County and Los Angeles.
Founded in 2020 by Roland Karam, EZ Kebab’s offerings are inspired by the street food he enjoyed during his childhood in Lebanon. While EZ Kebab is his first restaurant, Karam is an entrepreneur with years of experience in launching and scaling several multi-unit businesses throughout Southern California. The pandemic created a unique opportunity for Karam; when restaurants were closed, and intimate at-home gatherings rose in popularity, EZ Kebab’s catering business began to thrive. With the opening of his first restaurant, Karam is excited to share his love of Lebanese cuisine and culture with the community.
EZ Kebab opened in the iconic A-frame building off Harbor Blvd. in Costa Mesa. Once home to a Wienerschniztel, the 400-square-foot structure welcomes guests to order at its walk-up window and a 500-square-foot patio for on-site dining. EZ Kebab will also become the first Mediterranean restaurant in Orange County to offer a drive-through, a unique differentiator Karam hopes to replicate at future locations.
EZ Kebab is distinctly Lebanese, offering the same char-grilled kebabs, spit-roasted shawarma, falafel, and other authentic dishes that spurred the popularity of its catering business. Guests can look forward to kebab plates, shawarma wraps, and pitas featuring halal meats, including ribeye steak, chicken breast, and beef kafta, as well as several vegan options, including falafel, Fattoush, and tabouli. EZ Kebab also offers a build-your-own bowl offering guests a customizable choice of various proteins, bases, veggies, and sauces. Traditional Lebanese sides include hummus, baba ghanoush, grape leaves, lentil soup, tabouli, and fattoush salad.
While everything is cooked on-site, items like hummus, marinades, and toum, a traditional Lebanese garlic spread, are all prepared at EZ Kebab’s Costa Mesa-based catering facility, which supports both the restaurant and catering business. As the brand seeks to expand throughout Southern California and beyond, the catering facility will serve as a commercial kitchen poising EZ Kebab for expansion while ensuring consistency in each of its kitchens. Karam has his eyes set on expansion and is actively seeking additional locations for EZ Kebab in Orange County.
“As a resident of Costa Mesa, I’m thrilled to open our first EZ Kebab location in the city I call home,” says Karam. “Having grown up in Lebanon, I’ve always looked for ways I can share the love of my culture and the authentic flavors of our cuisine with my community. Our commitment to the authentic flavors of Lebanon will remain a pillar of our brand as we continue to expand into additional locations.”
Karam has tapped his brother-in-law, Rony Abi Chedid as EZ Kebab’s executive chef, who brings 25 years of experience cooking all over the Middle East, from 5-star resorts in Lebanon to modern Mediterranean restaurants in Kuwait and Qatar. Eryck Duran, the brand’s director of operations, brings years of operational and hospitality leadership experience to EZ Kebab. Duran has spent several years overseeing operations in different levels of hospitality and will lead the EZ Kebab brand as it expands to additional locations.
