My journey around town continues and I am always on the look out to discover new tasty things found in different parts of our rich country. While shopping at Black Pepper in Rabieh I spotted a cylindrical transparent box of Manakish. A box? Manakish? Served cold? I knew I have stumbled on something interesting...
On the bakery counter, two boxes were just waiting to be bought. A large one for 17,000L.L and another smaller one for 8,000L.L, each filled with mouthwatering UFO-like shaped Manakish. Each box contains a dozen of these tasty appetizers. Thin like paper and richly covered with fresh Zaatar (local wild thyme), these crunchy crispy flat bread pieces are to die for.
The box: "bi Bickfaya" by Abou Roland.
A nice simple "b" logo along with a sketch of a Lebanese man with his mustache and a phone number.
Calling the number (+961-3-639659), Mr. Jean Sayyah answers me with ultimate professionalism and answers each of my questions without even asking the reason. Abou Roland, who owns a shop in Bickfaya produces these Manakeesh among other things. He told me about thin Lahme Bi Aajine, other Lebanese bites as well as other breakfast items, but it has been known for this particular man2oushe, which can last up to a month in its box. This product has been brought down from the mountains to be enjoyed by the city's connoisseurs and is now sold at Black Pepper, ABC Dbayeh, Black Pepper Rabieh and Ginette Gemmayze.
Mr. Sayyah, personally cleans the Zaatar with his own hands every morning after being hand picked from the forests of Bickfaya. This type of zaatar is nowhere to be found elsewhere.
Grab one, bite into it and feel the ultimate taste that lies behind every crunchy piece. With every crunch comes a strong and rich taste of Zaatar. Clean Zaatar, crushed in tiny small bits smaller than sand, mixed with olive oil and sesame seeds to create a soft paste that caresses your palatal mucosa.
A great point to mention here: They didn't give me a heartburn! Enjoy them alone or with labneh, these manakish are addictive. If you are on a diet stay a hundred kilometers away from them because when you start you cannot stop until the box is totally devoured!
