He added spice and lime to the lamb lahmajun. It looked like a crispy, light pizza and was fantastic. I loved the zaāatar and tomato one. It was so full of flavor!
Cameras arenāt allowed inside, and the lower cave was closed. During the summer, you can take a boat ride through the lower cave. In the winter, the upper cave is open.
Beirut Breakfast ā Making Lebanese Lahmajun
Where have you been?
They also gave me a cup of fresh sour yogurt from the ownerās home village. It reminded me of Greek yogurt! Then, he baked me a lamb lahmajun and another with green zaāatar and tomato. They smelled heavenly!
With my final day in Lebanon upon me, I decided to go all out with an epic food tour of Beirut! Come along with me on my Beirut breakfast food tour for one last hurrah in Lebanon! From there, we headed to Torino Chicken, where they make some of Beirutās best fried chicken! Itās deep-fried in a pressure cooker! They sell wings, drumsticks, and breasts. Nicoās parents had their first date here!
We arrived at an Ottoman bridge about 500 years ago. Beyond it is an aqueduct. It looked like a Roman aqueduct, but itās not Roman. The bridge spans the Dog River!
Eating at Bechara Bros
Itās a beautiful area near a river. The cave is beautiful, but I couldnāt take my camera inside. As we continued back to Beirut, I saw lots of houses along the hills and mountainsides.
Every single one of them was made with fresh ingredients. They cost roughly .25 USD each. I loved the owner and his wife. They were so friendly! Meeting them was the perfect way to kick off my Beirut breakfast food tour!
I loved the garlic sauce! Itās very creamy and potent, but it pairs incredibly well with the crunchy chicken. Itās only made of garlic and oil, so itās as pure as it gets. The fries were fantastic with the sauce. Then, I had some pickles as a great palate cleanser.
Jeita Grotto and Ottoman Bridge
We ordered half a chicken for USD. Nico had been talking about this place for the entire trip. We had four pieces with some fries, pickles, and garlic sauce. The skin was outstanding, and the meat was super juicy.
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My friend and guide Nico and I started at a local bakery where they make several types of lahmajun, including lamb, zaāatar, tomato, and olive. This bakery has been here for 52 years!
Then, we drove to Bechara Bros, a popular shop that sells cheese calzones. They use a mix of cheeses. This calzone contained a wonderful mix of mozzarella and ackawi cheeses.
Beirut Breakfast ā Torino Chicken
I loved the crispy, golden brown crust, which was tasty and full of flavor. I also couldnāt get enough of the rich, gooey cheese inside. The mix of mozzarella and ackawi was heavenly! It was also nice and filling. If youāre not a calzone person, they also make manakish and even pizzas!
After filling our bellies, we took a break from our Beirut breakfast food tour. Instead, we hopped in the car and drove up to the Jeita Grotto near Jounieh. Itās made up of two interconnected karstic limestone caves and was a finalist for the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition! I watched the cooks roll out some dough. They made me a mix of the potato kibbeh and spicy varieties. It contained delicious onions and had a bit of spice. I liked the crispiness on the outside and the doughiness in the middle.
What an incredible Beirut breakfast food tour to end my time in Lebanon!
The mint, parsley, and cheese lahmajun was unreal. It was so creamy, flaky, and rich in herbs. I loved that it was light but still full of flavor! The vegetable and sumac one was a little doughier but still insanely good!
