BETHLEHEM, Pa. \u2014 Crispy Halal, specializing in made-to-order fried chicken, loaded fries and more, is preparing to open a new 65-seat restaurant on East Third Street in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
Restaurant owner Mohammad Ayaz told LehighValleyNews.com<\/a> the Dec. 15 opening is tentative, but he assured the restaurant at 25 E. Third St. is planned to be open by the end of the year.<\/p>\n Crispy Halal<\/a>, known for its other location at 514 N. Seventh St. in Allentown, is most popular for its chicken over rice, fried chicken, wings and gyros, according to its website.<\/p>\n Crispy Halal plans to open a new 65-seat restaurant at 25 E. Third St. on Monday, Dec. 15.<\/p>\n It also serves up falafel, loaded fries, salads, cheeseburgers, Philly cheesesteaks, desserts and family meals.<\/p>\n The new spot will operate from 10:30 a.m. each day, closing at 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends.<\/p>\n ‘A welcoming space’<\/p>\n It\u2019s set up at the former Color Me Mine property along the Third Street corridor of South Bethlehem \u2014 also next to Bank of America, near Domino\u2019s and across from the old Goodman building<\/a>. A Taichi Bubble Tea<\/a> is planned to go in just a couple of doors down.<\/p>\n The Color Me Mine arts studio relocated to Promenade Saucon Valley.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to connect with the city.”<\/p>\n Crispy Halal owner Mohammad Ayaz, on a 25-foot-wide art piece on one of the restaurant walls<\/p>\n Ayaz said Crispy Halal patrons can expect a 25-foot-wide art piece displaying the Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces on one of the walls of the restaurant.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to connect with the city,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Ayaz was previously pursuing a dentistry program in New York City, he said, working at different eateries in the meantime. <\/p>\n After moving to the Lehigh Valley to pursue real estate to help finance his education, he ended up opening a restaurant before he knew it.<\/p>\n Its website touts a family-owned business serving \u201chot, flavorful meals without the long wait.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe aim to create a welcoming space where everyone in the community feels at home,\u201d it says.<\/p>\n Crispy Halal representatives were at the Nov. 17 meeting of the Historic Conservation Commission for approval of storefront signs<\/a>.<\/p>\n