When Captain Cook first opened a few months ago, I received a number of messages recommending that I go try the place. I will be honest and tell you that I was not intrigued at all seeing a childish name and logo. I happened to be in the area last week and though why not give it a try and see what the fuss is all about. All I can say is that I was proven wrong. Happily so.

Captain Cook is a new concept in town, offering what they call ‘superfoods’ at very affordable prices. Nestled in the heart of Downtown Beirut, facing the Saraya and the United Nations offices, this small eatery has a lot to offer.

Captain Cook is the pioneer in offering Superfoods Cuisine in Lebanon where you can be sure to receive a clean hygienic service according to the GHP (Good Hygienic Practices) standard.

Superfood is a marketing term used to describe foods with supposed health benefits. A non-medical term popularized in the media to refer to foods that can have health-promoting properties such as reducing one’s risk of disease or improving any aspect of physical or emotional health. So-called superfoods may have an unusually high content of antioxidants, vitamins, or other nutrients.

Like superheroes swooping in to save the day, Superfoods are those that rescue our bodies from illness, provide us with healthier and thinner bodies and moral functions. Captain Cook is the superhero chef whose special power is to mix Superfoods to serve you deliciously empowering natural meals.

Superfoods used in Captain Cook menu: Quinoa, Blueberries, Broccoli, Pommegranate, Artichokes, Asparagus, Basil, Walnut, Flax seeds, Black seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Spinach, Salmon, Avocado, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Olive oil, Rosemary, Aneth, Carrots, Green tea

Each meal can help you with one of the following: Heart, Immunity, Brain memory, Skin, Blood Pressure, Bones, Liver, Vision, Anti inflammatory, Cholesterol, Anti Cancer.

Yes… Back to Marky’s for even more exquisite burgers… I missed this place and what it offers… I was in burger heaven:  An upscale version of Marky’s  popular Poutine along side five other newly introduced burgers followed with a piece of homemade baked cheesecake. I wish you all visited with me to really understand what I felt…

Poutine du Quebec  I love the simplicity of the cheese that feels like tofu, with a richness that appears when mixed with the sauce. Crunchy homemade fries covered with a mix of well done onion cubes, sautéed hotdogs, grilled bacon and cooked tiny fresh mushroom bits. What a plate! A rich blend of premium ingredients that melts like butter under your teeth adding to that the slight crunch of the onions, each cooked separately to perfection then mixed together to make this impetuous meal.

Poutine is a common Canadian dish (originally from Quebec), made with French fries, topped with brown gravy and cheese curds. Sometimes additional ingredients are added. This fast food dish is found across Canada (and is also found in some places in the Northern United States), although it is still exotic enough there to sometimes need describing. It is sold by national and international fast food chains, in small “greasy spoon” type diners and pubs, as well as by roadside chip wagons. International chains like McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King also sell mass-produced poutine in Canada. Poutine may also contain other ingredients such as bacon, beef, pulled pork, lamb, lobster meat, shrimp, rabbit confit, caviar, and truffles.

Patati Patata Burger: This is like nothing before… Really! Two rost potato patties crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside hosting a rich fried potato like vermicelli filled with Marky’s signature meat, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. If you want to taste something special, that is it. Beware of its oiliness and be prepared for it. Since it’s not yet launched, I’m confident that Marky’s will be improving this issue before the launch

Oklahoma Burger: A simple burger that might look deceiving until you bite into it. What! What the heck happened to my eyes? They are closing alone! I’m moaning uncontrollably! Juicy with a watery freshness. A slight crunch of the onions followed by a tasty caramelized and sweet taste accompanies the same perfectly cooked meat, cheddar cheese and american pickles. The fusion of meat, pepper, onions, crunchiness and softness will really make you smile. That’s not a simple burger but a gourmet creation

The famous fried onion burger in Oklahoma started in the early 1900’s. During the depression, meat prices were high, as a way to beef up their patties a local place called the Hamburger Inn in El Reno started adding a handful of thinly-sliced white onions to a smaller meat patty as it cooked on the griddle. Before turning the patty, the onions would get pressed into the meat with a spatula. The addition of the onions added a ton of flavor, and poof, just like that an El Reno food tradition was born.

Juicy Lucy Burger: That’s not a burger for the faint hearted! Imagine 70 additional grams (200g meat) of marky’s one of kind meat filled with three kinds of American cheese. When you expect awesomeness for a cheese at heart this is what you should order. A generously well packed party with rich meat. In this carnival of flavors, you tend to forget about the bun. A big bun filled with yeast as air bubbles that collapses under your fingers to access your mouth in style and melt like butter. What a day! OMG!

A Juicy Lucy is a cheeseburger that has the cheese inside the meat patty rather than on top. A piece of cheese is surrounded by raw meat and cooked until it melts, resulting in a molten core of cheese within the patty. This scalding hot cheese tends to gush out at the first bite, so servers frequently warn patrons to let the burger cool for a few minutes before consumption to avoid injury.

OMG Burger: Yes, when you see it you can’t but say “Oh My God”! It is “the” burger that’s even tastier and definitely heavier than the Big Boy. The complete burger that has it all. Fully loaded witth ingredients: Bun, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, pickles, cheese, meat, bacon, potato, cheese, meat, mustard, ketchup, bun. The two important and unique ingredients are the patati patata crunchy slice and the special bacon. Two long bacon slices, worked into a shear style (tressé) and grilled slowly to become crunchy. The way it’s worked into itself make it retain its position on the meat without sliding out after each bite.

Poutine Burger: Look at the rich ingredients from top to toe: “Bun, mayonnaise, oak leaf lettuce, tomatoes, dill pickles, meat, gravy, cheese curls, patati patata, sautéed mushrooms, beef hotdogs, onions, ketchup, mustard.” A thin layer of bread, especially created for Marky’s by a local bakery, is covered with a layer of mayonnaise. Under it is a clean green leaf of European lettuce, a 2mm tomato slice, three homemade American pickles slices, a juicy patty followed by Marky’s signature homemade poutine and gravy. Making this burger even more unique is the meat poutine mix of onions, bacon, hotdog and mushrooms. Softening the lower bun is a thin layer of ketchup and mustard. Sweetness, crunchiness, flavors and an explosion of a hundred ingredients all caress smoothly your palate. That’s a heavy deal!

After tasting the Poutine burger, I’m not sure which one I like more, this or the OMG?

You might ask:

• Am I exaggerating? No
• Are the burgers that good? Yes
• Are Marky’s preparations that sophisticated and unique? Go see for yourself and tell me.

Marky’s burgers can’t be compared to anyone out there. Don’t expect to eat a Double Whopper from Burger King, or a burger from the Classic Burger Joint, it surely is not a Shake Shack burger and definitely far from being a Brgr & Co… It’s simply a “Marky’s”.

For you to know exactly what I am talking about, try them and let me know…

Back to Marky’s… Tasting and Testing the Cheeseburger

Endless Surprises of Professionalism and Taste

I Finally Found It: The Perfect Burger… Here in Lebanon

As its name suggests, Burger Bites is a popular place where small burger bites are served. Located right after Monot Theater, this tiny place has a lot of potential, but some details must be attended to immediately. As a first impression, it was bad. I was welcomed by an overwhelming smell of frying oil as the music played in the background is a perfect recipe for a pounding headache. Luckily, the food was good…

Located in the vibrant Monot area, Burger Bites offers mouthwatering mini burgers made from top grade beef, ground daily on spot in the kitchen. Eating a burger is fulfilling, but you only get to taste one item on the menu. Imagine a place where you can eat many different delicious burgers instead of this one burger. A place where you can choose, from a variety of flavors, the burger that suits you best. A place where a burger is not a huge meal, but rather, a bite.

• The smell of frying/cooked oil in the restaurant is unbearable
• The music is unacceptable
• Service is mediocre

The concept and burgers are just great. The place can become a national success if only they refresh and change the place upside while focusing on the important details that matter to clients.  I congratulate you on the burger quality.

Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including salad, pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, garlic bread and desserts. Corporately known as Pizza Hut, Inc., it is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., the world’s largest restaurant company. As of 2012, there were more than 6,000 Pizza Hut restaurants in the United States, and more than 5,139 store locations in 94 other countries and territories around the world.

There are so many places in Lebanon that offer amazingly delicious bites – some you know, some you’ll get to know and some you’ll remember. Starting a new series, “Discovering the Hidden Street Food Gems of Lebanon”, I welcome you to travel with me around our beloved country to discover the tastiest items around…

If you’re a ski lover or happen to live in the Kesrerwan area, you’ll definitely know this one…

I thought starting with Afif would be a good way to introduce this new series. His humor, good food and humble attitude all combined – make this man a perfect choice.

Who’s Afif? He’s the man who makes the best lahem baajine and homemade Laban in town. Where? His place is called Mar Charbel Bakery or better yet known by “Ambaratouriyet el Lahme Beajine”, located just a few meters away from the Hrajel roundabout. This small eatery is owned and managed by Afif Zgheib and there to help him is his younger brother.

Lahmacun also lahmajun is a round, thin piece of dough topped with minced meat and minced vegetables and herbs including onions, tomatoes and parsley, then baked. Lahmacun is often served sprinkled with lemon juice and wrapped around vegetables, including pickles, tomatoes, peppers and onions.

As soon as you enter the eatery, Afif shouts out welcoming you into his humble place. He treats you like he’s known you a long time, or that you’re an accustomed customer… He then asks you to remind him of your family name before he starts giving you a detailed report about your roots and ancestors.

From time to time, when the bakery gets too busy, he shouts out to Azar, his right man, to help him welcome the guests: “Ra7eb bel jamahir ya Azar”.

Here, Azar, with a strong mountaineer voice and accent shouts saying: “Ahla bel jami3, ahla, ahla”…

Good food, welcoming, humble, fresh homemade laban and some entertainment… The simplicity of the Zgheib brothers will definitely make you start your day with a smile …

Just imagine a thin and crunchy crust, covered with local fresh meat from the village and enjoyed with homemade yogurt “Laben”. Yes, it’s pronounced “Laben” … the Keserwani way.

Sahtein.

Next time you’re going up to Mzaar Kfardebian, make it a point to pass by Afif. It’s a discovery indeed.

(Watch the Video to live the experience with Afif)

PS: I enjoyed Afif’s character so much that I forgot to mention the lack of hygiene in this place. Even though very dirty, I don’t recall or heard about anyone getting poisoned after eating at Afif. As he says: “3al barake!”

Thank you to my friend Elie Gemayel for helping with the video shooting and editing

One of the country’s tastiest chicken sandwiches is found at Le Gourmet in Bickfaya, El Metn. If you live around the area, there’s no way you don’t know about Le Gourmet’s fine chicken sandwiches, unless you’ve been hiding under a stone since 1976.  Reach Bickfaya roundabout and find Le Gourmet immediately to your right…  and taste the best chicken sandwiches…

Abdallah Hajj Boutros, the owner, personally rolls the sandwiches. His mother helps him at the cashier. Order your sandwich and see it done in minutes. Watch the video we’ve prepared and get hungry….

Le Gourmet has been known for its simple, yet consistent and tasty chicken sandwiches. They were the first to introduce chicken sandwiches using the famous french bread, instead of the Lebanese pita bread. This was how they started the trend that spread ‘viral’ around town. Back then viral meant word of mouth…. people came to try Le Gourmet’s simple chicken sandwiches – French bread, a generous quantitity of chicken, pickles and homemade garlic paste. Yum.

The menu:

• Whole grilled Chicken 18,000L.L
• Any sandwich 6,000L.L
• A box of garlic paste 3,000L.L
• A box of hummus 3,000L.L
• A box of pickles 3,000L.L

The sandwiches choices:

• Chicken
• Chicken lover
• Chich Tawouk
• Sanasel
• Nkha3
• Thongue
• T7al
• Makanek
• Roastbeef
• Kafta
• Soujok
• Cheese & Ham

I personally order those chicken sandwiches with mayonnaise instead of garlic and enjoy them just the same. If you happen to pass by the area, Le Gourmet is your address. A snack that opens for lunch only until the quantity expires. The place is clean and professionally handled with care.

I had one of the worst culinary experiences in the French capital to date. I’m not sure where to start and to be honest if I should even start. I wanted to avoid writing this review, but then I thought, NGNO readers deserve to know.

Le Francis or Le Mandarin, yes this restaurant oddly has two names, is located in the 9th District of Paris. Right behind Lafayette is one of those places where a large fridge displays ready made Asian food that are heated for immediate consumption. In here, you will experience the real meaning of street food. No welcoming, no smiles, no efforts, no cleanliness – a simple display of food that are filled into plastic boxes and paid for by weight.

The fridge different choices:

• Noodle soup with fish balls
• Wan tan soup with shrimps raviolis
• Noodles soup with pork, chicken, meat or duck
• Sweet and sour pork
• Sweet and sour chicken
• Chicken with pineapple
• Crispy chicken with ginger
• Pork spring rolls
• Ravioli dumplings
• Pork dumplings
• Shrimps skewers
• Salt and pepper shrimps
• Chinese nougat
• Ginger
• Coco ball dessert
• Spring rolls (Vegetarian, Shrimp, Chicken, Pork)
• Vegetables fried rice
• Chopped vegetables
• Tofu in vegetables
• Thai beef

The food:

• Oily
• Not fresh
• Over salty
• Not Tasty
• You fill your stomach with tasteless calories followed by a feeling of guilt

The good:

• Summer rolls are generous and good
• The rice is good

The bad:

• Staff is rude and unwelcoming
• The place looks and feels dirty
• Photos are not allowed and I understand why. They want to avoid showing the dirtiness of the place over the net
• To be able to pay by international credit cards, your bill should be a minimum of 15euros
• The food lacks taste and finesse. Just oily ingredients mixed together

Pay attention: If you try using your phone to take pictures, you will be treated as a felon by the staff

So, I tell you again, this is not my usual review, but a chance to vent out and share the tasteless culinary adventure I had experienced to help you avoid such an encounter the next time you’re in Paris.

I’ve already been to Captain Cook a couple months ago and decided to pass by again to discover a wider choice of those “Superfoods” that can help my body all by being tasty and fulfilling at the same time.

Captain Cook is a new concept in town, offering what they call ‘superfoods’ at very affordable prices. Nestled in the heart of Downtown Beirut, facing the Saraya and the United Nations offices, this small eatery has a lot to offer. Captain Cook is the pioneer in offering Superfoods Cuisine in Lebanon where you can be sure to receive a clean hygienic service according to the GHP (Good Hygienic Practices) standard.

Superfood is a marketing term used to describe foods with supposed health benefits. A non-medical term popularized in the media to refer to foods that can have health-promoting properties such as reducing one’s risk of disease or improving any aspect of physical or emotional health. So-called superfoods may have an unusually high content of antioxidants, vitamins, or other nutrients.

Like superheroes swooping in to save the day, Superfoods are those that rescue our bodies from illness, provide us with healthier and thinner bodies and moral functions. Captain Cook is the superhero chef whose special power is to mix Superfoods to serve you deliciously empowering natural meals.

Superfoods used in Captain Cook menu: Quinoa, Blueberries, Broccoli, Pommegranate, Artichokes, Asparagus, Basil, Walnut, Flax seeds, Black seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Spinach, Salmon, Avocado, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Olive oil, Rosemary, Aneth, Carrots, Green tea

Each meal can help you with one of the following: Heart, Immunity, Brain memory, Skin, Blood Pressure, Bones, Liver, Vision, Anti inflammatory, Cholesterol, Anti Cancer.

The place:

• The place is small with no tables but a bar that can seat up to 9 guests
• A small cube with a cashier standing at the end
• Super hero posters decorate the walls giving a childish look to the place
• Red paper placemats are preset on the bar with a bizarrely looking fork and knife
• Red walls to blend with the original logo
• Look up for the big Captain Cook logo behind the counter
• Don’t expect much, the place is intended to sell for deliveries and take away. No fancy decoration or relaxing seating

Good to know before we start:

• Delivery is the main business so don’t judge after seeing the place
• Eat at lunch since Captain cook closes for dinner
• Healthy and filled with vitamins, the meals will boost your day
• Captain cook proposes food to boost the body and mind
• Usually, restaurants have one or two special items on the menu. The concept behind Captain Cook is to offer a complete menu that is special and tailored for your benefit
• Prices are cheap… really cheap. The strategy is to have a lower profit but be affordable to a larger number of customers

The menu sections:

• Breakfast
• Starters
• Salads
• Burgers
• Pizza
• Sandwiches
• Pasta
• Platters desserts
• Beverages

We had for lunch today:

• Raphaiello Pasta 12,000L.L: (Tagliatelle pasta, spinach, broccoli, gorgonzola, cheese, special cream sauce, cherry tomato, parmesan cheese, chicken cubes) A rich and generous combination of ingredients that feel and look like a homemade plate. Cherry tomatoes cut in half, crunchy fresh broccoli and chicken cubes all served very hot with cheese on top. The pasta is very good and full of interesting flavors. I really enjoyed it. Chicken is juicy, creamy, light and adequately salted. The pepper aftertaste is interesting. Eat it as quickly as you can since the pasta continues cooking in its sauce

• Steak holder sandwich 8,250L.L: (Beef brochette, onion, red pepper, creamy cheese, special steak sauce, extra virgin olive oil, edam cheese, tomato, submarine bread) Inside one of the softest sandwich buns available in town is a rich filling that made me smile. A non chewy but tender meat mixed with a lemony flavor, a BBQ sauce and a rich choice of vegetables. I loved the sesame covering the bun that make a big difference in taste. My friend and I couldn’t but look at each other meaning to say that the sandwich is great

• The Captain Burger 7,500L.L: (Burger meat, burger bun, avocado, BBQ special sauce, cheddar cheese, tomato, grilled onions, iceberg lettuce, sautéed mushroom, fried egg) YES! all of this for only 5$: A thick juicy meat topped with a soft and tender avocado and non oily eggs all combined under one tender bun like no other. To add even more flavor and finesse to this perfect street burger, fresh mushrooms and crunchy grilled onions mixed with the special sauce would really let you say yum. Different interesting textures that are more than perfect for its low price. You get a better value than any other 10$ burger around the city. For lunch at work, I do recommend it specially that its not fatty and non oily

• The super wedges are great 5,250L.L: (Wedges potato, mozzarella cheese, paprika, rosemary, spinach, special cocktail sauce) Those wedges are as good as Captain cook’s French fries. To start with, the plate is nice to look at with its beautiful colors and cheese covering it. The wedges on another hand are served hot, crunchy and perfectly cooked. The seasoning adds finesse and flavorings that will make you want to finish all the plate. Those are one of the few wedges in town without garlic powder topping

The best thing about Captain Cook’s food is that all plates are generous and fulfilling, the prices are the lowest in this country -hoping that they stay that way- and none have a side effect afterwards. Eat and continue working with a smile.

The pluses:

• Color coded menu with notes showing how each meal is good for your body
• You eat what’s written on the menu with no surprises and hidden ingredients
• The prices are very low and affordable
• The plates are all generously filled

The minuses:

• Parking is not easy and may be hard to find. You would have to park more than 200meters away
• The place is not the best you would expect. It definitely needs a full refurbishment
• Get your food delivered, it’s definitely better than dining in

I will change:

• Meat and pasta should be cooked a bit less taking into consideration that items continue their cooking process while being delivered

If you work around the Beirut area, I would definitely recommend that you order from Captain Cook, where good food, healthy eating and great prices meet. I was positively surprised one more time.

The story is all wrong! Check their website and you will be welcomed with this statement: “In 1952, Lovie Yancey created something unique. A culture. A phenomenon, if you will. She created the biggest, juiciest hamburgers anyone had ever seen. So obviously, there was only one name for them – Fatburger.”

Biggest? Juiciest? Phenomenon? This is not what I experienced at all.

Fatburger which is one of USA’s famous international burger chains has landed in Lebanon opening its first branch in Beirut City Centre. I personally never felt like trying it maybe its name scared me and was not sure what they meant by it… FatBurger? “eat and get fat?” I happened to be at the mall, my friend and I decided to give it a try.

Nestled in the food court of the BCC, Fat Burger has a window, like all the others around, to order and have a seat in the common middle area.

• The restaurant has an overall black finish
• The logo is printed on a long black wall behind a row of red sofas and individual square tables
• The menu is displayed over the counter
• The open kitchen is clean allowing you to see what’s cooking inside
• A coke draft dispenser stands behind the cashier

So we approached the cashier to learn more about the concept; I asked: “Good evening Miss, why is it named FatBurger? Is it because it wwill make me gain weight?”

Not knowing much about the company’s history, she replied by saying that they have the biggest meat, this is why they are called fat.

“Fine,” I replied, “what’s the meat weight?”

“I don’t know,” she answered.

Anyway, we continued browsing the menu to understand what’s it all about. The menu is divided into a couple of simple sections displayed in a complicated way. A double cheese burger is prices at 14,000L.L without any fries or coke.

The menu:

• Single, double, triple or quad
• Chicken sandwich
• Turkey burger
• Veggie Burger
• Add-ons
• Sides and more
• Speciality burgers
• Make it a meal
• Kid’s meal
• Milkshakes and drinks

The burgers, even though are pictured with two thick and juicy pieces of cheese, actually come without the cheese. You can add egg, cheese, “beef” bacon or chili for 1,500L.L each

We ordered, tasted and couldn’t eat:

• Double Fatburger (Double meat, bun, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, relish, mustard). Inside a stale bun is a dry non juicy piece of meat with an unpleasant commercial aftertaste. The overall dryness of the burger makes it hard to swallow. Imagine a dry sponge fitted with a super dry meat and decorated with crunchy vegetables. The sauce is not even felt to add taste to the mix. Inedible!

• Western BBQ Fatburger (Meat, bun, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion ring, BBQ sauce, relish, mustard). This one is even worse. The same dry and stale bun that’s at least 3 days old.  The dry meat with barbecue sauce leaves an unpleasant taste and aftertaste that sticks to your palate for more than 20 minutes. This is all you feel and taste – BBQ Sauce! To make things even worse, is the sticky, chewy beef bacon that is disgusting. I don’t even want to remember the feeling if this cheap condiment

• Mushroom Cheddar Fatburger (mushroom and cheddar sauce)  – a joke. I would love to propose a game: Buy one of these, close your eyes and eat it. You won’t know what you’re really chewing. A neutral piece of a dry mix of something supposed to be food. Again, dry meat, dry bun and tasteless filling. It doesn’t even look appetizing

• Fatfries: Nothing to write home about.

• Skinny fries: Some pieces are cold, others are warm. Some are overcooked and others are undercooked. Unacceptable

We left the tray as is, looking for something to eat elsewhere…

I liked:

• Free Coke refill

The bad:

• The staff doesn’t seem to know much about the brand
• The pictures are wrong
• The menu displayed on the international website has nothing to do with what our local franchise is offering. On the website, burgers are S,M,L,XL,XXL and the BBQ and Mushroom don’t exist
• The food is unacceptable and tasteless

After today’s experience, I realized how proud I am of our local diners. This is an opportunity for me to congratulate our local diners and other burger joints for giving Lebanon some of the best burgers the world can offer. 

PS: I wonder if the mother company of Fat Burger knows about the quality their branch is serving in our country. I’ve been to FatBurger in Las Vegas four years ago and the experience was way different…

There’s a big center in Mazraat Yachouh, called Au Carrefour. On the lower side of this big center you will find a small a small shop. Clean and simple, 3al Barakeh offers a super varied menu of unique sandwiches like no other. He transformed the known Markouk bread into mouthwatering sandwiches – all produced from scratch in his kitchens. You name it from labneh, zaatar, kaftan, eggs, awarma, tuna, kechek, chocolate, potato, soujok, cheese and more, be prepared to taste the authentic flavors of the village prepared by the man himself.

“Ahla bel chabeb…” Al Khal welcomes me with a smile.

After visiting Zaatar W Zeit Zalka with my family last week, I decided to give this place another try before drawing any conclusions. As a small recap, my last experience was unacceptable.  I headed down to another branch just to see how the experience will turn out; I loved it. ZWZ is not a bakery anymore but a revisited diner – a full-fledged restaurant with new expectations. This only means that the actual problem is having an inconsistency in service and attitude between branches… Pay attention guys… don’t let such things affect the reasons why people come to you…

The last time, I decided not to give it a full review and wrote:

So, our day started at Zaatar W Zeit Zalka. I thought, well this could be a cool place to take my daughter. A place where a variety of foods that children enjoy are served. I discovered for the first time the new wide menu while dining in-house, which I enjoyed. The menu, the variety, the images on the menu, this place has become more restaurant than just a mankoushe spot. Sadly the place was not a cheerful one. It was like Christmas Scrooge passed by here recently; No music, the staff were grim and down, unwelcoming – not a smile was seen. They saw that a kid was with us, but no reaction. No one even gave her some coloring pencils until I asked for some and ended up with one that included used pencils.

Afterwards was ordering time. A kid, sorry but she doesn’t even deserve the title of waitress, approached us for the order. So unpleasant and so unprofessional she was moving her head and mimicking the way spoiled kids talk with their parents. Minutes later, we received the food. I liked and enjoyed the Zaatar light with no oil as well as the turkey and cheese sandwich. On another hand the Lahme Beajine and the cheese and ham were tasteless. It’s unacceptable to serve food on chipped plates. The labneh plate is chipped from all sides like in old Lebanese restaurants.

Anyway the food was not the main issue today but the bad service and unwelcoming ambiance and attitude towards kids. More so, the place was dirty. The floor is covered with breadcrumbs, hair all over the floor and dirt stuffed in the corners, then left searching for something else that will make Enya smile and maybe a coffee for us since we still didn’t have anything to drink.

I went down to their Byblos branch where I enjoyed a nice breakfast with my friend Zeina. I ordered a lot, so just imagine I was there with a bunch of friends. Breakfast on the last day of the year was nice in this stand-alone location where positive vibes seem to naturally flow in the air. 

The place is superb:

• A stand alone building on the Byblos-Tripoli highway
• The floor leading to the restaurant is covered with old Lebanese tiles. A great impression
• Expect to be amazed as you walk inside. A large square space with high ceiling. The use of wood, metal, fabrics, leather, and stainless are here and there to decorate the place. All blend in together beautifully
• The floor is covered with grey vinyl on one side and wood parquet on the other
• The walls are all painted in grey
• White and black lights pending from the ceiling add a touch of style
• The place is decorated with three pictures covering a large portion of the wall
• Facing the dining area, a rectangular wall displays food related messages with an interesting typography
• Facing the entrance you will find a long bar with quick ready made sandwiches to go – “Pret a Manger” style
• Filling the space are dozens of light wood tables surrounded with wood and white-metallic chairs
• Two, nicely designed silver chairs add a difference to the mix
• Facing the highway, a Starbucks style area welcomes you to relax on a few couches
• The best part are the high glass facades that allows the needed amount of natural light into the place
• Stainless ducts add an industrial touch

Zaatar W Zeit new menu:

• Breakfast (TO share, Manakeesh)
• Salads
• Platters
• Teazers
• Pizzas
• Specialty wraps
• Redefining light
• Desserts
• Beverages

We tried today:

• Halloum w Bacon: (Halloumi cheese and bacon topped with tomatoes and mayo served on sun-dried tomato dough) the one and only sun-dried tomato filled with grilled halloumi cheese. The halloum’s crunchiness and the richness followed by the juiciness of the sauce and freshness of tomatoes is simply superb. My favorite sandwich is now for 11,000L.L

• Traditional Pizza: (Tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese, ham and fresh mushrooms) Lebanese style spread of spongy dough with basic pizza ingredients, like most local bakeries. Good for what it is

• Labneh Aarouss: (Traditional cream cheese spread on sun-dried tomato dough. Served with tapenade, tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh mint leaves) WOW! A labneh sandwich like no other. As you crunch into the sandwich all the freshness burst into your mouth makes you smile. Smooth labneh, thin sliced cucumbers, mint and olive tapenade with olive oil. Really amazing for a simple labneh sandwich. A hint of sweetness is enjoyed with a mix of ingredients spread on my favorite sun dried tomato mix dough

• Oil Free Zaatar: (The same great taste without the guilt. Delicious dried thyme mixed with water and a bit of sesame topped with cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, purslane and rocca) I ordered it again and will do so again and again. Even though without oil and baked on brown dough, this sandwich is juicy and the Zaatar does not give any heartburn. I loved it: healthy and light

• Low Cal Turkey and Cheese: (A classic combination of melted cheese topped with slices of turkey, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes seasoned with our light mustard sauce)  A subtle taste of cheese and turkey, delicious sauce and fresh and crunchy vegetables, this meal is great for those looking to enjoy a tasty yet light meal.

• Chocolate and Banana Wrap: (Melted hazelnut milk chocolate spread, topped with slices of banana) Nice overall taste but the dough is too chewy and the sandwich doesn’t look like the picture. I enjoyed the generosity and size of the nuts, the softness of the banana and use of Nutella but in order for this wrap to be perfect, a thinner layer of dough should be used and definitely serve it like the picture without cutting it in six pieces.

PS: Why are the prices going up so fast that high? The halloum and bacon, for example, was for 9,000L.L just nine months ago. Are we looking for 10$/sandwich by the end of 2014? Are they planning on serving only the rich?

My suggestion: Since the same team that trained Roadster’s staff help with the ZwZ one since you’re one company now. The difference in knowhow and savor faire is tremendous.

Zaatar W Zeit’s new concept, intertwining the best of all worlds into a “Lebanese style” cafe is a big success. You get a Starbucks ambiance, mixed with the Pret A Manger menu and concept, adding to it some unique Lebanese spells… you’ll get a recipe for success: “Zaatar W Zeit”.

I’ll be coming back for a lunch review soon.

So the experience as Friitz was good but the place lacks some fine-tuning. Although they are tasty and not oily, their fries are not exceptionally unique, since many local brands offer crunchier and tastier fries. I was expecting to be amazed since their main specialty is ‘fries’.

PS:

• Check the official Friitz website, where you’ll discover a colorful logo and menu. So why copy Classic Burger Joint?
• The original fries portions look bigger. Bizarre no? Comparing Europe to Lebanon where life is more expensive

All this is fine, but what is so special about this place? Five different seasoning? Or some ready-made sauces? I think that, for this place to sustain itself for a long time, I would suggest that they offer more variety in their fries section. How I see it: For a place that mainly serves fries I would expect: Perfectly cooked fries, a golden color, the possibility of ordering the fries peeled or unpeeled with a choice of ordering them thin of thick – a bigger variety, to sum it up. As for the sandwiches, they are almost close to being good with a few touches here and there.

They say that they have a tasty burger; I would love to hear your experience on that.

Le Camion Qui Fume… What else. My search for the best burger in Paris wouldn’t have been complete without trying the one and only burger truck, a place many have recommended I try. As the taxi driver stopped, more than fifty meters away from the truck, the grilling smell was so strong and appetizing, that he looked at me and said, “I feel like going down for it with you.” But boy was he lucky he didn’t do so.

I’m going to start this review by welcoming the first entry to my TOP10 burgers list of 2014… Yes, already… Rod’s Burgers are to die for… Imagine a simple yet innovative burger prepared with love, passion and dedication; a burger that’s tasty, fresh, generous and filled with premium ingredients; and a burger that has it all yet keeps you feeling light, even after devouring three of them – yes, I did… I had to…

In the heart of Gemmayze, Rodolphe Hobeika has been producing these tasty burgers for more than a year now. He welcomes his guests on the sidewalk of the famous Gemayze street. Find a place to park and the rest is pure enjoyment.

Helped by his fiancee, Rodolphe, with a smile and passion for what he does stands behind the yellow bar waiting for any request from his customers. It was 9pm when I landed in front of their shop and asked to be served with something that will amaze me… and he surely did.

The place is small and fits just two persons. Behind the yellow bar is a grill and a bun oven to your right, while to the left is the working station filled with freshly cut vegetables. A mirror makes the place look twice the size. I sat on one of the four yellow stools and just waited to be served.

Burgers around here are 100% homemade and prepared fresh in front of the customer. A local organic patty mixed between lamb and cow meat only: No bread crumbs and no eggs. Yes, just pure meat from the local market.

The menu:

• Appetizers
• Soft sandwiches
• Hotdogs
• Special burgers
• Burgers
• Big burgers
• Light burgers
• Salads
• Desserts
• Add-ons
• Beverages

My journey started with Rod’s recommendation; The Backboard Burger: 100% organic beef, jalapeños, coleslaw, melted cheese and ham, tomato, caramelized onions, mushrooms and green pepper with special steak sauce. A burger I really enjoyed on all fronts. I loved its soft tender bun provided by Prunelle, the rich juicy yet non fatty meat, the crunchy fresh vegetables and the rich taste of their homemade sauces.

Eating half of it, I decided to stop and try something else. Rodolphe proposed to create something special for me. He names it the “3a Zaw2ak” burger; a tradition, he says, he is known for, giving clients the green card to create their own burgers depending on their tastes. Let’s call mine the NGNO burger: Bacon, mushrooms, caramelized onions, steak sauce, mozzarella fumes and coleslaw.

This burger is interesting. Rich flavors, sweet taste and a slightly crunchy feel from the coleslaw only adds style to the mix. Inside is a homemade steak sauce like no other, especially created by Rodolphe himself. The best part is the fried aged mozzarella square and the finesse the fresh mushrooms provides. This burger made me smile.

More was yet to come… I was enjoying every bite the max. The well-prepared burgers are so enjoyable, I asked for a third one. Rod went for the big thing: The Brie Burger: 100% organic beef with Brie cheese, bacon, caramelized onions, relish, lettuce, apple with honey mustard, BBQ sauce and strawberry jam. Oh my gosh, what a burger! Superb!

It starts with a crunch followed by a strong equilibration of sweetness between the honey mustard and jam. The crunchiness of the iceberg adds a hint of love while the Brie adds a touch of gourmet to this simple street food sandwich. With all of the above, add two slices of crispy bacon -Perfection. Simply breathtaking! I wouldn’t start with it though if I were you, since its sweetness might trick your mind.

Keep it for last.

I was eating my third burger while waiting for the first one to cool down. Remember the cold meat test? This is a crucial test step for me. Rod’s patty eaten cold simply tastes real meat. No salt, no fat, no oil, no preservatives and most importantly it doesn’t feel like I’m eating ‘kebbeb’ (kafta); just clean and tasty meat. Bravo Rodolphe, you made my day.

The things I loved:

• Hygiene is at the top of Rod’s list. He doesn’t touch anything with his bare hands; blue gloves are used to prepare and wrap everything
• Buns are provided by Prunelle
• The meat is fresh, not salty, not fatty and not synthetic
• The sauces are made to perfection
• They serve Coca-Cola
• Rod’s generosity is breathtaking

I enjoyed a tasty dinner and went back home fulfilled yet not feeling bloated.

Rod’s burgers are a must try: This guy deserves a boost. 

What a lovely concept – I love Pret a Manger. I first came across Pret last year during a visit to London. In my opinion, this place has changed the way we view fast food. You can walk in grab a healthy sandwich, juice, some fruits and walk out… giving a whole new meaning to fast food. While in Paris and facing the hotel, I see ‘Pret’ – wow they are now in France? Pret creates handmade natural food avoiding the obscure chemicals, additives and preservatives common to so much of the ‘prepared’ and ‘fast’ food on the market today.

I simply love it! A very nice place where fresh food is displayed on shelves and fridges around the restaurant with bags of chips placed in wooden boxes on the floor. The menu includes sandwiches, filled baguettes, soups, salads and coffee. Pret also prepares desserts, such as American muffins, cakes, and croissants. Lately they integrated the fruits station to enjoy more healthy bites.

Pret opened in London in 1986. College friends, Sinclair and Julian, made proper sandwiches avoiding the obscure chemicals, additives and preservatives common to so much of the ‘prepared’ and ‘fast’ food on the market today. The two of them had woefully little experience in the world of business. They created the sort of food they craved but couldn’t find anywhere else.

Using natural ingredients and avoiding preservatives and obscure chemicals is sacred to Pret. Their sandwiches are freshly made throughout the day in each and every Pret kitchen. This fact is what makes Pret special.

This morning, my wife entered Pret and grabbed three sandwiches as well as some chips, desserts and drinks. The ambiance around the place and the positive vibe will just make you smile. The freshness of colors and design as well as the dedicated staff will make your experience special. I love how every member of staff has a different logo on his apron: “Hot section chef” or “Barista” or “Pret Team”.

Pret a manger in few lines: