We slept rather late last night, Batroun’s old town’s evening buzz being an experience nobody wants to miss, but more about that will have to wait for my next blog!
After a comforting breakfast at Villa Paradiso’s roof terrace (www.villapradisolebanon.com) which directly overlooks the beautiful early 20th century Saint Stephan’s Cathedral, we stepped out of our Guesthouse “Lodge” directly into this very charming street with its aligned sand stone (Ramli) facades. Abdallah (@boudnn_art), a local young artist was already setting up his stand for the day. From dotting art to Henna art, pebbles, drift wood and passerbys’ sun tanned arms and faces transform in a glimpse of an eye into his canvas, and what a pleasure it was watching him getting creative on each and every other artwork! While watching him in action, the delicate roasting coffee scents from the café next door, Café Younes (@cafeyounes) led us directly 2 steps up into this neat high ceiling coffee outlet, unique in Lebanon for offering, since 1935, beans from all over the globe! It was definitely a good idea, especially that my guests took with them a freshly ground specialty blend package alongside the cups we were happy to sip while walking down the street directly to Joumana’s stand (@seashell.handmade). She was happily sitting behind her table with her carefully assembled bead bracelets and necklaces, refined and colorful like her smile.
A few meters down the road stood Fabienne (@home.made.cookies1), sitting in front of her house proudly showcasing her painted mugs and delicious cookies! It was impossible to miss, right across the street, the gorgeous bougainvillea planted around l’Auberge de la Mer hotel (@laubergedelamer) with its distinguished seafood restaurant (@bistreaubatroun) nicely overlooking the “Mina” Batroun fishermen’s port.
A few meters away, a group of teenagers were happily standing up in front of the lovely candy wagon (@nour.candy.shop). They called us to try a few yummy treats and there we were already walking up the road we just walked down. The funny sign of the little Pork sandwich bar (@porkypie.lb) run by the energetic Roger led us to engage in a conversation with this passionate man whose delicious specialty sandwiches everybody mentions in the neighborhood, for us though, that had to wait for a little bit later, we weren’t quite hungry yet… Right next door to him stood some beautifully displayed exquisite copper and fabric items, my guests were inside the shop before we knew it (@poupjoe @lartisanduliban) an artisan treasure trove with a mission to support local artisans, definitely not to be missed!
Further up the street we enjoyed listening to Jule, rehearsing for the evening at his joyful karaoke and board games hangout (@singingintherainlb), he also showed us his other shop with kids fun activities. We were afterwards happy to enter the next shop, which was full of traditional and not so traditional Mouneh items (@popupjoe) where almost nothing from the wide Lebanese preserve repertoire couldn’t be found, everyone was generously invited to sample some of the displayed yummy delicacies and who could say no to that?
The little “dekkenet” Jalil next door gives every visitor a glimpse into how this town’s small businesses looked like some 50 years ago, vintage at its best! Crossing the road, and waiting for the famous town’s tuk-tuks to pass, The Villa Paradiso Concept store vitrine (@villaparadisolebanon) was calling from a distance, a carefully selected variety of top Lebanese designers’ creations sit there under this beautiful vault, so proper to Batrouni architecture, for everyone wanting to take a significant item back home with them from Lebanon. To my guests’ pleasant surprise, I made them discovered the just newly opened ABatroun Art Hub (@abatroun) showcasing a variety of art works by different local emerging artists, and offering art workshops and classes. They were happy to purchase 2 small sized paintings and to have them framed on the spot by the 2 framing specialists Tony and Jean Claude, with their shops facing each other right beside the Art hub, it truly couldn’t have been more practical!
Our friends staying at another neighboring hotel (@nazelsaada) met us then in front of the door to walk up together first to pass by the cozy boutique (@pinkoctopus.batroun) run by the sweet Yara and Manal, and second, by yet another grocery shop “dekkenet” Elie Juan reminiscent of another epoch this timeless town has witnessed.
We headed next for Batroun’s most famous fish sandwich (@maalouf.george) definitely worth its reputation. Be it squid, octopus, “bezre” fish or “samke harra”, every one of us could find something delicious from the sea; presenting to the group the genuine Rita and Elie Rouhana, the next door fishery owners who provide George with his fresh seafood, was the cherry on top of the cake, or should I rather say the lemon slice on top of the fish! Washing down those delicious sandwiches was easily done with local beers served by George and freshly squeezed juices from the across the street fresh produce shop and bar run by the Deeb father and son duo. The neighbors were chatting together around a Lebanese coffee pot “rakwet ahwe” while sitting in front of the other Rouhana family member shop, George, the neighborhood’s butcher.
A small but delicate stand stood on the street (@rainbow.batroun), not always there though, it showcases the artwork and crafts of an aunt and niece duo, Pauline and Mireille.
We found ourselves walking down the same street again, somehow not wanting to leave this “holistic type of a street”, and yet another unexpected encounter for my foreign guests, were the 3 consecutive stores we passed by (@noiro_conceptstore @secondbase.me @lemon_haze27) with a wide variety of clothing and accessories, all quite appealing…
Yummy flavors and scents were nicely spreading from the newly opened Asian street food bar (@streetfu.batroun) which team were preparing for their evening service already. As the Asian cuisine was leaving our olfactory field, the typical local bbq appetizing smells jumped in from Jihad Deeb’s grill (@kababjiji), brother and uncle of the other Deebs, the ones with the vegetables and fruits shop. It’s getting quite familiar in here, isn’t it!
Before heading to one of the close by beaches, which definitely deserve an elaborate blog too, my guests stocked up with some snacks and refreshments from “Dekkenet” Elie el Halabi, a kind and quiet gentleman everybody knows and respects in here.
We stopped at the crossing, again, waiting for the tuk-tuks and pedestrians, and watched, and got watched, again.
The perpendicular street, the one which witnessed the renaissance of the old Batroun souks back in June 2017 will also have to wait for another blog, it has amazing vibes, amazing restaurants and pubs and quite a few other surprises.
This street won’t stop amazing every visitor, even the regulars, obviously, and it did it again when we stumbled into Bassem’s excellent artisanal ice cream shop (@cielodelgelato) where a crowd was waiting in line.
And before leading the guests to their accommodation, everyone was fascinated by both the used bookshop stand (@bazar du livre) a brainchild of the passionate Maroun Bechara, and last but not least literally absorbed by the tiny antiques shop, filled with a thousand- and one-nights sort of treasures, collected by Sarkis Badawi, a staple and reference in our Batrouni community. Should we say community or rather family that this street is, that this whole enchanting town actually is, it isn’t a coincidence that so many brothers and aunts and nieces and nephews live together, quarrel a little, laugh a lot and definitely work often together. This street that charmed my guests today and me before them quite often actually, is not longer than a hundred and fifty meters, but definitely has a hundred and fifty tales to tell!
Rémi FEGHALI, architect, Lebanon
Rémi is an active Batroun community member, he is co-founder of several initiatives promoting the preservation of the Lebanese culture and heritage.
Instagram: @remi.feghali
Facebook: @remifeghali
