Story: Barbar: A Lebanese Fast Food Institution

In 1982, Barbar opened in the midst of the Lebanese civil war (which was to last another 8 years). It was a small bakery in a popular area of Beirut, known as Hamra. At first, Barbar was solely dedicated to Manaeesh (*think: breakfast pizza): manouché zaatar (herb & spice mixture), meat manouché, manouché kihk (a sour dried milk powder) and the traditional manouché with cheese, except that it was unexpectedly topped with sesame seeds. This seemingly insignificant addition was the key to success for the upstart bakery of Mohammad Ghaziri, also known as Barbar.
Complementary word of mouth spread among Beirutis, and the fact that Barbar stayed open through the most dramatic days of the war also contributed greatly to its seemingly overnight success. It is said that Barbar only closed shop once in honor of two of its employees who were killed in a bombing. A Lebanese civil war legend was born, and the manouché bakery took off.
Nowadays, Barbar has become a Beirut icon. After over 25 years of service, Barbar has transcended its humbled beginnings. In 2001, the new Barbar Spears Street was completely overhauled & unveiled. Mr. Ghaziri’s little bakery now runs the length of 50-metres down Barbar Street, with a sign that reads: 'Road Open to Barbar Clients Only,' welcoming the hoards of daily customers. Growing competition from foreign fast food conglomerates forced Mr. Ghaziri to raise his standards; now Barbar’s health and hygiene practices would rival any restaurant in the Western world. The wise decision was also made to provide a completely open food preparation environment enabling customers to see their food being made fresh (and also allowing for some great photographs!).
But what really draws the customers in and keeps them coming back is the food. There are over 200 items on the menu—and it’s always growing & changing! You can find anything and everything at Barbar’s: take-out pizza, hamburgers, sub sandwiches, even doughnuts! But everything has been unmistakably altered a bit, to give it some “Lebanese flavor.” The subs and burgers are doused in garlic paste, the pizzas come topped with makanik (Lebanese sausage) and Barbar is the only place in the world where I’ve encountered a lamb’s-brain sub sandwich (*which I tried—pictured below—a different taste for sure).
The old adage says, “To get to know a people, get to know their food,” and this is certainly true of Barbar, its cuisine and the Lebanese people. Not only does Barbar deliver the best street food money can buy in and around Beirut, but for the few bucks you shell out you also get to experience the Lebanese culture first-hand. You’ll see and taste the influences from dozens of conquering civilizations throughout history, and their influence on the Lebanese meal. You’ll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with locals, placing and customizing your order. And, if you’re feeling especially brave, you’ll order the lamb’s brain sub…and smile while everyone watches you try and eat it all.

OH! And Barbar is open 24-hours a day...perfect for the jet-lagged traveler and late-night cravings.

Barbar bakery’s menu can be viewed online at: http://www.wanaeat.com/barbar/index.html
*For an idea of pricing, currency conversion is approx.: 1,000 LL (Lebanese Lira/Pound) = $1 USD (at time of print).

Barbar bakery now has 2 locations in Beirut, Lebanon:
Spears - Near Future TV 01/379 778 - 01/379 779
Hamra - Near Piccadilly 01/753 330 - 01/744 341 - 03/433 855 - 03/433 866

Shannon Dagher is an aspiring world traveler & photographer. She is studying Cultural Anthropology (specializing in the Middle East) and can be found online at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shannondagher/