Located right at the entrance of Gemmayze is perhaps one of the most adorable modern Lebanese restaurants in town. Abu’shanab–which literately means “father of the mustache”–wins, hands down, for great food, hilarious character and all around awesomeness.
Their quaint seating area is what foreigners would envision as “typically Arab”–from the hanging vegetables on the walls, to the “7ameto Bit7ebbo” (“My mother in law loves it”) stamped across the walls, Abu’shanab has more Lebanese stereotypes than the Middle Eastern Studies students at AUB.
Better yet, their placemats have hilariously Lebanese phrases, the best of which includes “Ma Bya3mol Regime” (“I won’t diet”) and “Ma Byichrab Ta Yinsa” (“I don’t drink to forget”).
Kudos to you, Abu’shanab, for making a Lebanese meal so sickeningly Lebanese, that by the end of it, you’ll have grown a beard and feel oddly tempted to order an argileh.
