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The Dubai chocolate craze has made its way to Belmont – in croissant form.
Stuff a buttery and flaky croissant with crunchy knafeh and creamy pistachio butter and drizzle the top with chocolate and you get MO’s deli & cafe’s most popular dessert. The business may be in its soft-opening phase but it’s already making a name for itself with its innovative deli fare featuring Middle Eastern flavors. In fact, owner and namesake Moe Frehat is already planning to open his second location in January.
“This is our ninth day of soft opening, and I receive a lot of offers for people to buy the name and be partners with us,” Frehat said on Nov. 13. “To be honest, I’m shocked. I keep thanking my God, and we still put in a lot of effort into the place to make it more comfy and more tasty for the people.”
Frehat was born and raised in Amman, Jordan, helping out his cousins at their various restaurants. He moved to California in 2016 and owns a real estate company, but he still had a passion for sandwiches. So he decided he’d open his own deli and cafe, making everything in house with “all homemade special recipes,” Frehat said.
MO’s deli & cafe offers bagels (including Mo’s special bagel with cream cheese, egg, cheese, turkey, avocado and arugula), croissants (including a Turkish croissant with labneh, mint and cucumber), classic deli sandwiches, salads (including American classics like pasta salad and coleslaw, as well as Middle Eastern salads like tabbouleh) and Frehat’s original creation, the sanburger.
“We do a sanburger, a different kind of deli sandwich,” Frehat said. “Those are like a burger-style with a special sauce, and it’s (a) really huge and good sandwich, tastes delicious.”
Five varieties of sanburgers are listed on MO’s menu, featuring meats like smoked turkey, pastrami and chicken breast, and there’s even a sanburger with honey imported from Jordan.
A sanburger with smoked turkey, lettuce, tomato, pickles, jalapeño, pepper and special sauce at MO’s deli & cafe in Belmont. Courtesy MO’s deli & cafe. 
MO’s deli & cafe in Belmont offers sanburgers, “a burger-style (deli sandwich) with a special sauce,” said owner Moe Frehat. Courtesy MO’s deli & cafe.
For drinks, find American coffee classics like cappuccinos and mochas made from Supreme Italiano coffee beans, as well as more unique finds like Turkish coffee served in special Turkish coffee cups. To-go drinks are served in “unique plastic cups” imported from Jordan, Frehat said. MO’s also offers a variety of freshly squeezed juices and refreshers, including bestseller pineapple mint.
Frehat describes his business as a “high-end deli,” saying it’s a family-friendly deli and cafe with indoor and outdoor seating that’s good for studying (MO’s has free Wi-Fi), grabbing a sweet treat or really for any occasion. He plans to franchise his business and host its grand opening on Sunday, Nov. 24.
MO’s deli & cafe, 1602 El Camino Real, Ste A, Belmont; 650-333-7813, Instagram: @mos_deli_and_cafe. Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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