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Starbucks Raouche: The Best Branch in Lebanon So Far

By on October 12, 2018 in Reviews

Starbucks recently opened a new branch in Raouche (right next to Al Falamanki) which has a really nice view of the sea and the Pigeon Rock. So far, I think this is their best branch in Lebanon, and as simple as their offering is, it is possibly the best place along the coast there right now.

The problem (for me) with cafes and restaurants along the sea in Raouche and Ain El Mraiseh is that they all serve Arguileh so you are always obliged to tolerate the smoke around you, and I feel like they all try to rip you off with mediocre food and coffee. Last time I went to Bay Rock Cafe I paid $20 for two shitty Cappuccinos and a zaatar man’oushe.

And regardless whether it was Starbucks or other chain, I found it awesome to have a new place by the sea where you can chill, have good coffee, and enjoy the view, minus all the irritating things you hate at Lebanese restaurants. So yeah thank you Al Shaya!

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Busting Law 174 violators in Lebanon

By on February 24, 2013 in Lebanon

The people behind Law 174’s page on Facebook are doing a good job by not just indicating which places are violating the smoking ban in Lebanon, but also naming the public figures who are breaking the law.

Among the people who made it to the page so far are Assi Hellani who owns “Assi” restaurant in Verdun, Dr. Joseph Azouri who owns “Le Maillon Cafe” along with 12 other doctors, Nathalie Fadlallah who owns “f by Nathalie”, Marlene Boutros Harb, and Nada Riad Salameh.

The number of violations people regularly report to the page definitely calls for increasing the number of tourist policemen in the country!

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The Hangout Gemmayze offering platters for 1 Lebanese Lira

By on February 9, 2013 in Lebanon

The hangout Gemmayze

I just stumbled upon this cool offer by The Hangout restaurant on Facebook. They’re challenging people to come on February 12th and 13th with an authentic Lebanese Lira which can buy them a platter of their choice on these two days!

I’m sure many people still have authentic liras in their drawers, and I hope there’s no trick behind The Hangout’s offer. Anyway, for more about The Hangout, you can check out their Facebook page here.

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Enab restaurant employees break into IndyACT offices

By on February 4, 2013 in What the fuck!

If you think restaurants that are being criticized for breaking law 174 (smoking ban) in Lebanon might be feeling a bit ashamed of what they’re doing, then you’re definitely wrong, those restaurants are actually getting ruder by the moment!

One of these restaurant is Enab in Gemmayze, who has basically never respected law 174 and always allowed its customer to smoke indoor. In response to that, IndyACT decided to use their office, which is located right next to Enab, in order to put up a huge banner calling the restaurant to abide by the law, and next thing they knew was Enab’s employees breaking into their offices to take down the banner!

Fortunately, IndyACT later got an official permit from the municipality of Beirut to put the poster up again. But I wonder what difference will it make when these restaurants already feel like they have so much power to actually break the law and get away with it while their customers are happy! It’s maybe up to the few of us to boycott them for what they’re doing.

via A Separate State of Mind

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The syndicate of owners of restaurants in Lebanon are a bunch of retards

By on November 5, 2012 in What the fuck!

I was surprised today to see the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants in Lebanon is now calling for a protest on Wednesday at Sodeco to amend the anti-smoking law (law 174) and make it “more fair”. More fair as in allowing restaurants to apply for special permits to allow indoor smoking at their premises, and next thing you know everyone is getting a permit!

Check how pathetic the poster is, “Are you sick of having to smoke outside already ? Wait until winter starts…”, that’s how basically those restaurants owners are asking people to join their protest, and second-hand smoker at indoor places can of course fuck off!

What’s even more rediculous is that they’re calling the activisits who pushed for this law to be implemented as “a bunch of stupid people”. In fact, for calling to amend such law, the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants in Lebanon and the people advising them should be aware that they’re actually a bunch of retards!

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Cafe owners protesting for their arguileh

By on September 3, 2012 in Lebanon

Lebanese tobacco control law number 174 which prohibits people from smoking in all enclosed public spaces went into effect as of today but cafe owners are as expected protesting against this law and calling for exceptions to be made!

Those cafe owners had more than a year to adapt to this law, yet they chose to wait till the last day to express their concerns about it claiming that it puts their business at risk and might force them to fire a lot of their employees.

What I believe these businessmen are missing is that the main reason for people go to coffee places for is basically to socialize, gathering around an arguileh is of course a reason, but I highly doubt people will stop going to restaurants if arguileh is banned as they will still need to get together over a lunch, dinner, dessert, or even a cup of coffee…

Second, what I recently have noticed is that most of the people are missing the definition of an “enclosed public space” according to law 174. Here’s how the law puts, and below is an illustration of it.

Enclosed public places include any of the aforementioned places that is covered by a ceiling and bounded by more than two walls, regardless of the type of materials used for the construction of the ceiling or the walls, and regardless of whether the construction was permanent or temporary. Source

Taken from Smoke Free Lebanon FB page

Now don’t tell me it was hard to get around that… I’m pretty sure cafe owners were generating enough profit to carry out a redecoration to remove some walls, install curtain glass instead, and leave them open during summer season.

But NO, we love to make a drama out of everything!

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Good fish and chips where you least expect it

By on May 21, 2011 in Reviews

It’s definitely not the best out there, but Sanyour Cafe in Sarba has a good fish and chips for 12,000L.L only.

I also liked their Osmaliyyeh Chicken (chicken strips covered with Osmaliyyeh pastry) which comes with sweet chili sauce I think, and the Pizza Tawouk with garlic sauce all over!

Sanyour has branches in Kaslik, Antelias, Sarba, and Dhour El Choueir. And needless to say, you’ll have to be able to tolerate the arguileh smokers all around you if you decided to go there.

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Lebanonizing the sushi experience

By on March 17, 2011 in Lebanon

If you find the combination of Sushi and Arguileh to be appealing, then Republic in Zalka is probably the place for you.

I went there few days ago and was surprised to see that they have recently added a sushi section to their menu, meaning you can now enjoy having your sushi while puffing smoke rings! 😛

On a serious note, I’m not an Arguileh expert but my friends claim Republic has the best Arguileh in town.

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