It is easy to imagine large groups of friends and family seated around the dining tables at Kababji, with lots of chatter greeting the endless stream of dishes coming out from their kitchens. That’s why, when the good folks at Kababji told us that they were launching their very own Kabab Festival, we rushed right over to get our Kabab fix!
From authentic essentials like Tabbouleh, Fattouch, Hummus Muhammara, Hummus, Baba Ghannouj, Vine leaves to Sujouk, our table fills up with dish after dish, tantalizing our taste buds with the Kabab goodness that is soon to follow. Surely enough, the kitchen saves the best for last, and the Kabab Festival offerings make a grand entrance on two chunky wooden serving platters. This is a celebration of everything that Kababji perfects, and now on a bigger scale, with each skewer containing no less than two hundred grams of meat, this Kabab Festival is not to be missed!
The Kabab Festival runs until May, and Executive Chef Hussein El Sayed spent many long hours making sure that the upscaling of the recipes for the larger kababs results in the same authentic Lebanese taste Kababji is famed for. The classic Halabi is meaty and basic, with only the special spice blend and white onions in the recipe, this is a really honest kabab with no pretentions. With bunches of added parsley, the Kafta tastes fresh and aromatic. But the stars of the show are the Kabab Spicy and Kabab Cheese.
The Kabab Spicy is brushed with chili oil, and you’re hit with its fiery warmth as soon as you bite into it. As you continue to chew, you can feel and taste the plentiful chili flakes and fresh chilies that run through the meat deliver another layer of spice to the flavor profile.
The Kabab Cheese features carefully cubed pieces of two different kinds of Lebanese cheese mixed in with the beef. This particular skewer is quite moreish, and the saltiness of the Halloumi and Kashkaval cheeses cleverly enhance the Kabab’s texture. If you can’t choose which of the kababs to try, there is a Kabab Mix option on the menu which allows you to choose two skewers from any of the four kinds of kabab.
For those choosing to dine in, there is the added pleasure of experiencing the way the dishes are presented. A roasted eggplant and tomato garnish is delectable as well as decorative, with a smothering of sumptuous roast garlic and tomato sauce drenching the thickly sliced vegetables.
As well as the delicious kababs, traditional dishes have also been given a Kababji touch. A whopping 22 dishes were previously added to the menu, representing the best in Lebanese cuisine. From these classics, we loved the Arayes section, particularly their Cheese Arayes! With its special mix of cheeses, the tasty center features Zaatar, mint, basil, black olives and tomatoes. Try dipping the Arayes into the creamy Hummus, or the warmly spiced Hummus Muhammara for an added depth of flavor. There are no rules here, as long as it tastes great!
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Despite filling our tummies with all of Kababji’s yummy offerings, we knew we couldn’t leave without sampling dessert! New to their dessert menu is a large slice of decadent, chocolate cake. Deeply dark and cacao-rich, one entire side of the cake is spread with a coating of halawa. The sweet, sesame confection adds a texture to the dessert that makes it taste even more indulgent than your average chocolate cake.
Then, our eyes are greeted with what can only be described as an egg-shaped offering of vanilla ice-cream, wrapped in candy floss halawa with a drizzle of caramel and crushed pistachios on top. Named Ghazal Beirut, this is exactly the Kababji dessert of our dreams! Wonderfully fun to eat, we defy you to eat this without laughing out in joy. It is an experience you will not find anywhere else. And yet, at the very heart of it, is delicious food that you will want to remember sharing with your loved ones.
Treat yourself to Kababji at any of their 6 dine-in locations! We visited their flagship location at Marina Mall, on Salem Al Mubarak Street. Kababji is available for delivery online via talabat.com, or by calling them at 186 1616. Follow them on Instagram @kababji_kuwait for their latest updates.
