Tunisian chef thrilled with NI restaurant’s success

A Tunisian woman who opened a restaurant in Co Down said she feels happy to be able to bring a piece of her home to Northern Ireland.

Sabeh Cyndi, who moved to Northern Ireland when she was 20, was inspired during lockdown to open Carthago in Moira last October and share the culture and food of her North African home.

The 43-year-old said she has been blown by the support of local people, with the venue regularly booked out since it first opened.

“I’m very happy because Northern Ireland has given me a lot of stuff, I have a family here and this is my home. But I’m happy now because I’m able to give something back to people here,” she said.

“When I see people coming in and enjoying learning about a different culture, and trying the different foods, and having a good time – I feel happy that I’m able to give something back.

“I’ve spent more of my life now in Northern Ireland than at my home. I moved here when I was 20 and now I’m unfortunately coming 44.

“It felt like it was the right time to do something like this. I know I’m not going to be going home for a while, maybe when my kids are grown up. I just wanted to do something here to show people our culture and enjoy something new.”

Sabeh said they focus on making their dishes as authentic as possible, with their most popular dishes being their tagines and lamb shanks.

“Whenever you come into the restaurant, it feels like you’re in North Africa,” she explained. “The kitchen is open plan and everything is cooked in front of you, people love it. Being here makes me feel like I’m back at home.

“We wanted to bring a bit of a different culture, something new, and something different to the area.

“Customers have said they’ve been eating Indian and Chinese food for years, so were happy to see something different, new, and healthy too.”