Crave

Turn Baby Turn: Beirut’s Newest Chicken Spot Opens Soon!

Turn Baby Turn, Beirut’s newest chicken joint, held its soft opening last night. It comes from the team behind Backburner and Meat the Fish. The new spot has landed in Starco, the historic downtown building that’s recently turned into one of the city’s busiest and intentionally pricey addresses, right next to Pink Lady.

Turn Baby Turn sources its chicken from Tanmiya Farms in Lebanon, corn-fed birds from HG Walter in the UK, and Johnny Farah’s Poulet Cycliste (presumably the local farm of restauranteur and designer Johnny Farah), and serves them all marinated and roasted over charcoal or gas, with a side of toum, chicken jus, pickles, and warm bread.

For those who want theirs fried, there’s Henriette’s Tenders, seasoned with a house spice blend and served with secret sauce and pickles, alongside a croqueta made from roast chicken bechamel. The sandwich menu keeps it to two: the TBT Classic Lebnene, built on Mavia’s sourdough with chicken, toum, and pickled wild cucumber, and the TBT Classic Franje, loaded with tenders, provolone, smoked turkey, herby mayo, romaine, parmesan, and pickles.

Sides lean seasonal: a salad with smoked vinaigrette and organic tomatoes, green beans and seasonal vegetables, roasted potato salad with chicken butter and green goddess, sticky rice with nuoc cham and salsa verde, and triple cooked fries finished with beef tallow and “magic seasoning.” A house sauce list rounds things out, including toum baby toum, sweet dijonnaise, and salsa verde, with waffles and cream in organic maple syrup for dessert.

No official opening date yet. Follow @turnbabyturnbeirut for updates.