CityView Magazine

CityViewNC .com | 49 J ust like nearly everybody on the planet, Fabian "Fabe" Llamas had high hopes for 2020. For more than a year, he had been working on opening his own restaurant – navigating red tape, jumping through hoops, overseeing the construction of a well-designed space, ensuring deliveries of the freshest possible ingredients and training a team of friendly professionals. On Jan. 2, his vision came to fruition. Fabe's Charcoal Roasting Co. opened in Freedom Town Center with the requisite fanfare, including a Chamber ribbon-cutting and the first of regular pop-ins by New York Knicks point guard Dennis Smith Jr., who is originally from Fayetteville. Word of mouth grew, and folks soon discovered the star of the show: Peruvian- inspired chicken that's been marinated in a secret blend of spices and fire-roasted over wood charcoal to crispy goodness on the outside and tender, juicy perfection on the inside. Pick and choose quarters or halves, white, dark or a mix, cafeteria-style, followed by a choice of generous sides, including black beans and rice, fresh green beans in a garlic sauce, hand-cut fries, yuca fries, corn, coleslaw, tostones or fried green plantains and positively addictive maduros, or sweet golden plantains. Best part? A satisf ying lunch or dinner oen runs under $10, including a fountain so drink or iced tea. "I call us a pollo a la brasa," Fabian says. "It means we're a chicken joint." e opening not only marked another delightful addition to the international restaurant scene in a city known as one of the most culturally diverse in the country. It also was the story of a "hometown boy done good." Fabian grew up in Fayetteville, where he graduated in 2009 from Village Christian Academy. He's of Mexican heritage, and family members owned the former Monterrey restaurant. His brother-in-law started the successful Alpaca chain of Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurants in the Triangle. Aer Fabian earned his business degree from East Carolina University, he worked for two years as a marketing associate for Sysco, the food distributor. "I sold green beans for a living," he quips. en he put his mind, and business acumen, into creating Fabe's. Locally Owned JOHN MCCAULEY ALBERT MCCAULEY BRIAN RAYNOR Parking Lots • Driveways • Subdivisions • Complete Site Work • Sealing • Striping • Patching • Paving • Grading OFFICE: 910-485-5790 FAX: 910-323-4163 OFFICE: 910-485-5790 FAX: 910-323-4163 www.highlandpaving.com Plant: 1351 Old Wilmington Road Office: 2031 Middle Road Insured NC License #55505 Parking Lots • Driveways • Subdivisions • Complete Site Work Sealing • Striping • Patching • Paving • Grading Locally Owned JOHN MCCAULEY ALBERT MCCAULEY BRIAN RAYNOR FREE ESTIMATES Personalized service from our team of professionals Traditional funeral services Cremation funeral services Cremations performed in our on-site crematory Chapel seating for over 200 people Pre-arrangement of funeral plans Family owned and operated Highland Funeral Service & Crematory SULLIVAN'S 910.484.8108 | 610 Ramsey Street | Fayetteville, NC

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