I believe it’s time I write about a place that I’ve ordering manakish from around three times a week for the last year. It’s not a discovery in a lost village in Lebanon and not one of my tasty discoveries, but a fine bakery producing tasty wraps which I order whenever I feel like a fuss-free sandwich. I’m a huge fan of manakish and Abou Haidar's is indeed good, without an unpleasant acidic burn.
Abou Haidar is located on the Bayada internal road before you reach the Kornet Chehwan main road. A bakery offering a large choice of possibilities, included oven-cooked manakish, saj, fatayer, crepes and pizzas.
I've tried them all:
- The pizzas are too Lebanese for me - thick dough with a generous filling. The dough is a bit like a mankoushe without the fluffiness and crispiness of a real Italian pizza. Despite it all, it’s not bad.
- Crepes: The sweet crepes are really tasty with their dough that’s crunchy and fresh. But since the dough is sweet, putting ham and cheese inside it isn’t enjoyable. When I crave something sweet I usually order the Nutella with bananas.
- Now for the best, their manakish: I like mankoushe to be thin, so I order “Mashrou7a” style. Mashrou7a is a large makoushe, double the normal size, and is enough for two people. Thin, chewy and light, topped with a fine zaatar with a little sweet aftertaste. Order it with labneh and vegetables and you’ll be repeating the experience on a daily basis.
- For a change, I ordered the halloumi cheese mashrou7a. Shredded halloumi in a wrap, heated and slowly melting, mixed with fresh vegetables. Loved it!
The only problem is that their deliveries take time to reach me, and when they do they arrive cold. I’d ask them to make the effort and send the food hot. For even more pleasure, ask them to toast them a bit.
I live near Abou Haidar and I find them to be one of the best option for a delivery at work, a mankoushe without a strong smell, a dough that feels light, a zaatar that’s not acidic, a huge portion that’s fulfilling, and a quality which hasn't changed for years.
Abou Haidar Bakery, Bayada internal road +961 4 913919
