Egyptian Men Build New Life, Business in Clinton Township

Sitting at a corner table overlooking the main dining room of La Pyramids, a restaurant they now own, Samy Azer and Emil Mina find it difficult to put into words their thanks for being able to pursue their own “American Dream.”

Egyptian by birth, Azer and Mina immigrated to the U.S. seven years ago and earned their American citizenship last year. Three months ago, the Fraser residents opened their first Mediterranean restaurant at 18 Mile and Garfield in Clinton Township.

“I hoped my babies would have more life here,” said Azer, a 38-year-old father of two. “America is still America. It is a free country. The future for my children is the main reason I came here with my wife.”

Mina, whose three children were also born in the U.S., echoed Azer’s reasoning.

“Everybody likes a free country, where it doesn’t matter your religion or beliefs,” said Mina, 35. “I wanted to bring my family here.”

Mina, who worked at a pharmacy in Egypt, was employed at Gardner White Furniture prior to starting La Pyramids with Azer, a longtime friend. Meanwhile Azer, who was an electric engineer in his native Egypt, started his American career in the restaurant business as a dishwasher at La Shish in Troy.

Learning the restaurant trade job by job, Azer began to plan the business he would open.

While his dream restaurant would serve the Lebanese-style dishes known to American taste buds, such as hommous, shish kabob and shawarma, his menu would include traditional Egyptian dishes as well.

Guests at La Pyramids will see this portion of Azer’s dream as reality, with a whole section of the menu devoted to “Traditional Dishes” such as Koshari, a dish of mixed rice, pasta, green lentil, tomato sauce, chickpeas and fried onion served with a mild or spicy sauce, and Macaroni Bechamel, which features layers of pasta and ground meat topped with a special bechamel sauce.

And as a special nod to the rich history of the pair’s native country, diners will also find their baklava baked in the shape of pyramids.

The focal point in the restaurant’s main dining room is the outward-facing bread oven. Mina said this feature was added to provide customers with visual proof that their bread is being baked fresh.

“We want to offer fine family dining for the area,” said Mina, adding that the restaurant is currently working to get a liquor license so diners can enjoy a glass of beer or wine in addition to the wide selection of raw fruit juices and smoothies currently available.

And though the restaurant is only three months old, both Azer and Mina have great hopes for the future.

“We want our business to grow,” Azer said. “We’d like to open two or three more. When you have a successful business, you help everyone.”

The restaurant, located at 40813 Garfield Rd., is currently open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Check out La Pyramids' menu online.