The interior dining area of the Lézard Noir restaurant. (Credit: Photo provided by the establishment)
On Sept. 19, Lézard Noir, a new French bistro, officially opened in the Beirut Souks shopping center, taking the place of the former Balthazar restaurant. After temporarily closing due to the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as the bombardments in Beirut, the bistro made its return on Dec. 11.
Led by Kamp Holding and its CEO Henry Farah, Lézard Noir aims to play a key role in revitalizing this iconic area of the Lebanese capital. “We're trying to bring the Souks back to life. Brands like Hermes and Nike are already present, and other major retailers are in the process of reopening. It's sad to see such a beautiful place go,” said Farah. Lézard Noir features a welcoming terrace with a simple menu, with prices starting at $25, and an indoor dining room where meals average $55.
The restaurant spans 180 square meters, including a 50-square-meter terrace. "It's the smallest restaurant I've ever opened," Farah said with a smile. The bistro required an investment of $700,000 from five investors — Souheil Nassar, Joseph Mouawad, Mohammad Jaber, Pierre Ziadeh and Henry Farah — who have been collaborating on restaurant projects for years.
With a chic yet relaxed atmosphere, Lézard Noir offers accessible French cuisine with a modern twist. “We didn't want to create a high-end restaurant, but rather a place where everyone can find something they like, without excessive expectations or disappointment,” explained Farah. Signature dishes include red snapper crudo, spaghetti with cuttlefish ink, and scallops with saffron sauce. With a capacity of 85 covers split between the interior and terrace, Lézard Noir also boasts an extensive selection of Lebanese and international wines.
A dish offered by the bistro. (Credit: Photo provided by Lézard Noir)
“I'd been wanting to add a French restaurant to our portfolio for a long time and Beirutians love French cuisine,” added Farah, who recalled how challenging the past few months have been. “We've had difficulty attracting both foreign and Lebanese customers, but now things are looking up. We hope it stays that way.”
Kamp Holding, a serial investor
After graduating from College Mont La Salle in Ain Saadeh, Farah pursued a master's degree in business management at the American University of Technology. He then ventured into the catering sector, setting up Kamp Catering in 2009, with plans to open Kampai in 2011. Since then, Kamp Catering has evolved into a holding company creating concepts such as Ai, Kampai, Gavi, Ni and KP.
The company also oversees team recruitment and training. “We have a core team of 11 people who facilitate the launch of our establishments and train new employees,” he said. “We also centralize our purchasing to ensure top-quality products,” he explained. The concept behind Lézard Noir, along with Kamp Catering's other brands, is to consistently deliver high-quality products in a unique atmosphere.
Always brimming with ideas, Farah recently opened a rooftop at Ai restaurant and is planning a new, yet-to-be-defined restaurant concept for late 2024. “What we do know for now is that it will be a casual place to have a coffee, for example,” he concluded.
This article was originally published in French in L'Orient Le-Jour.
