The road to West Cork via Damascus for two restaurateurs

We’ve all heard of the biblical “road to Damascus” but, in the case of two childhood friends, the path has led away from the Syrian capital all the way to West Cork.

Restaurateurs Mohamad Alsaadi and Abed Alkafe Saad Alah were neighbours growing up, living in such close proximity in Damascus that, after a day playing outside, they could then hear each other knocking on the bedroom walls.

This year, the pair succeeded in finally achieving a childhood dream — opening their own restaurant, Bayleaf Bistro in Bandon. As their present-day neighbours might put it: it’s far from that they were reared.