One of our favorite vacation destinations is Lebanon, hands down! The small coastal country has energetic night life, mountains, pristine beaches, the kindest people and most significantly a delightful cuisine. Ahwet Zeitouna represents all of these things and more.
It was a beautiful weekday morning; the sun was shining, and the breeze was playful. The first thing that hit us as we walked into Ahwet Zeitouna was how beautiful the mirrored archways and the tiled mosaic floors are. The light softly filled the space giving it a magical glow. It was a pleasant day outside, so we made our way to the outdoor seating by the sea.
The menu is printed on the paper placemats, which also has beautiful black and white photos from Lebanon’s “La Belle Epoque”. As we relaxed into our seats and enjoyed the ambiance and good weather, our server arrived and told us more about what we could order.
As our Minted Lemonade and Watermelon Fizz made its way to our table, we were already planning the rest of our meal. In proper Levantine fashion we started with cold Mezzas. Hummus, Labneh Beiroutieh, Moudardara, Grapevine leaves and our absolute favorite the Mouhamaret Quinoa. The salads being classic Fattoush and the modern Kale and Halloumi Salad. The crunchy bright greens tasted and looked as fresh as if they had just been hand-picked from a magical garden inside the kitchen.
Ahwet Zeitouneh is your traditional, friendly, neighborhood cafe in the sense that the food is delicious, the portions are generous, and it tastes like comfort food. Home cooking made by someone whose language of love is nourishing their loved ones and neighbors with food while creating a welcoming and warm place for them.
The hot Mezzas are the perfect complement to the salads and are another step on our gastronomical journey into the heart of Lebanon. The Soujouk is spicy and juicy and the fried Kebbeh would make any Lebanese grandmother proud. But the star was the Fattet Mawzet, fall-off-the-bone beef balanced with cold, tart yogurt; a wonderful combination that we could not stop eating.
The original Ahwet Zeitouna opened in the famous Zeitouna strip along Beirut’s vibrant coastline. It is favored and frequented by people of all ages and walks of life for breakfast, lunch, dinner or an afternoon dessert and shisha. We can imagine ourselves doing exactly that in the newly opened branch that sits near the Kuwait Towers section of the Arabian Gulf Road. The first Ahwet Zeitouna in Kuwait, it is casual and accessible to everyone.
The restaurant is unassuming in its simplicity, like the saj bread that kept coming to our table fresh and hot out of the oven. Folded like a cone or pyramid it looked too good to eat but was even more delicious than we anticipated. The saj is so good that you can eat it on its own, but it is even better when wrapping the flavorful shawarmas. The garlicy chicken and the tahini beef were crowd pleasers. And then, Ahwet Zeitouna surprised us with a dessert version of a wrap. Halewe, Chocolate and Banana was an unexpected combination of ingredients but surprisingly pleasing. The different textures and flavors meld together for a dreamy sweet treat.
There was more dessert to come, the Mafrouki with Ashta Ice Cream has all the flavors and sweetness you would expect and was a great way to cool down after a hearty and delicious meal. However, the Arabic Sweet Mix Platter is the perfect dish to share with your friends as you wind down after a fulfilling food-fest.
It was an enchanting morning. The friendly staff were forthcoming and eager to explain the different dishes and to offer suggestions of all the deliciousness we could try. We weren’t in a hurry to leave. It is easy to just relax and order a Narguileh in the many of available flavors with Turkish coffee and just sit to enjoy the happy vibes. The playlist playing in the background was serenading us with voices from Lebanon’s most loved singers of yesteryear. The sounds of Fairuz and Sabah add to the feeling of being in a timeless little neighborhood café, where you can go every day and spend as much time as you want because it will always be your spot.
Ahwet Zeitouna is located on the Gulf Road just before the Kuwait Towers, follow them on Instagram @ahwetzeitouna.me for more information. Photography by Muneera AlKhulaifi @i9ora for bazaar Studios.
