Abdul Alasow wears his new nickname — Mr. Goat — with pride.

The Somali native is excited to introduce goat meat dishes and other African and Middle Eastern fare at the new International House of Sambuusa restaurant.

“In Somalia, no matter what you’re served, it’s not a good meal unless there’s goat,” Alasow said.

He and Ahmed Barkhadle opened the small restaurant at 412 Park Lane, a few blocks from the entrance to Sibley Park, three months ago. Word of mouth has boosted business already.

“We hold 27 people here. Friday night it was full, and five people waited outside,” Alasow said.

The restaurant’s menu is a combination of Somali favorites with other African and Middle Eastern dishes included.

The restaurant’s namesake, Sambuusa, refers to a spicy ground meat, folded in a wrap and fried.

Other offerings include pita sandwiches, gyros, shawarma and kabobs. Most meals are served with basmati rice, a fragrant rice with a nutty taste.

And everyone who eats at the Sambuusa gets a banana. “In Somalia the bananas, you don’t plant them, they just shoot up everywhere. Every meal except breakfast, we eat bananas,” Asalow said.

Alasow, who previously owned a restaurant and grocery in San Diego, and Barkhadle, who owns an African grocery store on Front Street across from the Law Enforcement Center, brought in Hicham Thaha to manage the Mankato restaurant.

A Lebanon native, whose family has a long history in the restaurant business, Thaha said he wanted to ensure the cooking at the Sambuusa stayed true to its roots.

“The gyros, the other dishes, I do it the original way,” he said. “Americans always add the cheese and lettuce to everything. That’s OK, but I want them to taste how it’s originally done in Lebanon.”

Asalow has emerged as a leader in the Somali community, mentoring refugees arriving in the area. He said there are about 800 Somalis in the area and another 200 Somali college students.