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Spending the day at home with my little ones, and after a long week in Armenia, I was craving a decent, tasty, fluffy, Lebanese Manouche. Now that "Zaatar w Zeit" opened in Mazraat Yachouh, I called for delivery.
Let me ask a question; does “Zaatar w Zeit” seriously believe that the food they sell is proudly Lebanese? I won’t go into discussing their inedible hummus, the addition of steak to the menu, UFO food Knefeh, bizarre additions to their “bakery” menu, below average food taste and unsuccessful transformation but will stick to what is important, what should be the best at “Zaatar w Zeit”; their manakish! Unfortunately, these became bad, very bad.
Today I ordered a zaatar Manouche, wild zaatar, Kashkawan, ham & cheese, halloumi bacon, turkey & cheese with chocolate banana sent as a complimentary gift. Photos speak for themselves; I won’t even need to write but let me give you a bit more details.
Today’s breakfast:
- A Manouche sold at 2,000LL is machine-made and lacks any human passion, love or what we Lebanese call “Nafass”. Thick, undercooked and dry white bread spread with a hint of zaatar. There’s a lack of joy in this Lebanese breakfast signature, lack of airiness and softness in the dough; a Manouche that is hard to swallow.
- 4,000LL for a wild zaatar Manouche; seriously! Pre-cooked bread feeling like tortilla, chewy, served cold... 4,000LL !!!!! And people still pay for this unacceptable chewy wrap.
- Halloum & Bacon became a sandwich for the rich people; 11,250LL. Super salty, close to inedible shredded bacon wrapped in a soggy dough and non-melted halloumi. Once Lebanon’s best sandwich is today’s forgotten! Isn’t that a shame?
- Kashkawan: I kindly ask you to stop the delivery of this sandwich. It’s not good cold; it tastes and feels like sticky paper.
- Turkey and cheese: 9,500LL! OMG! That’s a meal of two double patties burger, fries and coke at Mc. Donald’s sold at the same price.
Anyway! I’ve been shouting out loud for years... why? Because I believe it’s a national duty to protect Lebanon’s culinary heritage and sell food that is up to a minimal standard. What would foreigners think of us, what are you teaching our youth? Is this the Manouche our young generation needs to identify itself to? Sorry, I won’t let my kids fall into this trap. Is this the food your grand-mas used to serve you?
It's the duty of a strong national and international brand to protect and promote our true culture.
For the love of Lebanon and the sake of our culinary heritage stop this massacre: Lebanese food is world renowned, tasty and affordable. Please stop!
