CRETE – Crete has seen the opening of a new restaurant called Corner Stop on the corner of Main and 14th streets. Restaurant owner Nashaat “Nash” Youssef opened its doors just last month.

The restaurant is a casual diner with a variety of offerings. The first impression from walking into the restaurant would be that it looks rather small, but the size of the restaurant belies the multitude of food being offered.

The menu offers cold-cut sandwiches to spaghetti to carne asada tacos, offering a wide spectrum of palate pleasers. Youssef adjusts ingredients of traditional offerings, creating a unique dish that can only be experienced at Corner Stop.

While priding himself in his offering of a diverse menu, Youssef also emphasizes that he offers a certain dish that is not found elsewhere in Crete.

“We’re the only place that sells gyros in town,” Youssef says, an ironic fact given the name of the town.

Youssef has been working in food since 1988, when he emigrated from Egypt to the United States. He started out working in the food industry across the country, including managing a Little Caesar’s in Lincoln. He was later hired as the head of cafeteria at the Farmland Foods plant in Crete.

He and his family settled in Crete before he joined the army in 2008 as a translator during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad. He returned to the United States in 2010 and opened a restaurant in Las Vegas, Nev.

After missing his family too much for too long, he sold the restaurant in Las Vegas and used the money to fund Corner Stop.

With Corner Stop, Youssef is hoping to provide a unique dining experience for the community in Crete. He is proud of the quality of his food, with his punch line being “If you like my food, tell others. If you don’t like it, tell Nash.”

He also strives to keep food at a reasonable price, but in portions that will satisfy a full family.

Youssef is more concerned about the present than future. With a new restaurant, he limits himself to only worrying about keeping it afloat for the next few months.

He also doesn’t have a strong desire to change the foundation and essentials of his restaurant, which is his food.

Although Youssef doesn’t plan to change his diner very much, he does hope to bring in more food options such as pizza. He feels proud of his offerings and will continue to live on his philosophies of good food and great customer service.