Chef Rachid Eido of Kareem's Lebanese Kitchen in Naples shares his favorite places to eat when he has a little time away from his restaurant.
Chef Rachid Eido, who owns Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen in Naples, is originally from Lebanon. He moved to the United States in 2010, and has worked at such luxurious resorts as the Four Seasons and The Intercontinental.
“I’m a third generation chef,” Eido says.
“My grandfather was a chef, my father was a chef. We are experts in Lebanese cuisine.”
When he launched his own restaurant, Eido chose to call it Kareem’s because “Kareem” translates to “generous.”
“Kareem is a beautiful name in our country,” Eido says. “It’s about generosity and how to take care of people in our house. People know about the Arabs and how we are generous.”
When he has a chance to eat out around town, Eido has a few favorite spots. These are some of them.
What are your go-to restaurants locally? I like to eat in 21 Spices by Chef Asif. Chef Asif is the best. His food and his spices, how he plays with it — oh, wow. I love it. We do spices in our cuisine, but the spices in India are different. The food is amazing. It’s like magic. I eat there every day.
I also like Limoncello. The food is very authentic Italian. I love it. And Bha Bha. I love his kebabs.
Do you have a favorite breakfast spot? Jeri Lu’s on Tamiami Trail, close to my restaurant. I love the breakfast there. I like the vegetarian scrambled egg. Usually we don’t eat meat for breakfast in Lebanon. Everything is vegetarian in breakfast.
How about for a good steak? St. Germain Steakhouse. I haven’t been yet, but that’s my next spot to try.
Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen is at 4270 Tamiami Trail E., Naples. Call 315-4167 or visit kareemskitchen.com for more.
Find his picks
21 Spices by Chef Asif: 4270 Tamiami Trail E, Naples; 919-8830 or 21spicesdining.com
Ristorante Limoncello: 13800 Tamiami Trail N., Naples; 260-7478 or limoncellonaples.com
Bha Bha Persian Bistro: 865 5th Ave. S., Naples; 594-5557 or bhabhabistro.com
Jeri Lu’s Kitchen: 3883 Tamiami Trail, Naples; 228-5921 or jeriluskitchen.com
St. Germain Steakhouse: 403 Bayfront Place, Naples; 435-9352 or stgermainsteakhouse.com