Comings and Goings: Mideast Dining to Former Firehouse

UPDATE A popular Fairfield restaurant, Safita, specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine, is expanding to 6 Wilton Road in Westport “hopefully in June,” according to its owner Kheder (“Kody”) Hassoun. A native of Syria, Hassoun said he emigrated to the United States at age 2 with his parents. He opened Safita at 2217 Post Road, Fairfield in October 2010. “It was our first venture into the restaurant business,” he said. “My mother was the chef. Now we have customers in line some nights waiting for a table.” He said the success prompted him to expand to the former Vigilant Hose Co. No. 3 firehouse. “About half our customers are from the Westport-Weston-Wilton area,” he said. He expects to have seating for 50 plus 10 seats at a full bar and some outdoor seating. He said he has not yet settled on a name for the Westport location. Built in 1841, the firehouse was at one time used as a homeless shelter, then in the early 90s as De Rosa’s Brick Oven Pizza, and more recently as a kitchen fixture store. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com