Why go all the way to Baalbeck to enjoy a real "Sfi7a" when you can have it nearby... they even deliver. Just two months in business now, Baalbaké is a small butchery and bakery, serving the real taste of Baalbeck down in Sarba, on the Jounieh-Jbeil highway. Fadel Barakat, supported by his father and wife welcome you into their home.
Pass by for the meat: "La7me Baladiyyeh", cow or lamb carefully handpicked by Fadel. After all this place is a butchery and they know what they are doing. Continue to the bakery corner, order a Manousheh or simply go for the Sfi7a. Can you believe that a dozen are only "LBP6,000" altogether? For that price in Baalbeck, you get only one piece (LBP500).
Oh my Goodness! You can't imagine how great it is until you try the first bite... and take it from someone who's been at least a dozen times to Baalbeck. A very thin and soft dough with a crispy crust hosts juicy and enjoyably fatty meat. It does contain onion but I didn't notice it. Fadel even prepared a version EI hot onions, it felt so good!
I really loved it! The dough, the meat, the taste and smell. Bravo for creating the real deal, just a short distance away from its original source.
Professional and clean, "Baalbaké" serves real Sfi7a. Bite-sized manakish stuffed with a mix of meat and lamb fat. I have rarely enjoyed a Sfi7a this much.
It's not a Lahme Beajine.
I am happy to have discovered a place close to home serving the flavors of the village with passion, love and dedication. I feel great when I meet people dedicated to what they do as much as Fadel is.
And that's not all. Have a sandwich or a plate of cooked meat. Lamb ribs like you've never had before. So tender they melt on your tongue like butter. Kafka that feels light and explodes with juiciness. I even had the chance to have a tawouk that's not marinated in garlic... and a plate of hummus to complete my experience.
I loved it! A recommended place to have a tasty bite, meet a passionate owner and continue your day without feeling heavy.
