Elie Harb and Christine Saad, co-owners and co-chefs of L Matbakh. (Credit: Photo provided by the establishment)
In April 2025, L Matbakh, a new restaurant run by chefs Christine Saad and Elie Harb, opened in the vibrant Mar Mikhail neighborhood on Armenia Street. Focusing on traditional Lebanese cuisine, they provide an immersive dining experience, with most dishes prepared live in front of guests.
The concept encourages people to "deconstruct then reconstruct Lebanese cuisine while respecting the flavor," according to Saad, co-owner and co-chef of the restaurant along with Harb.
The restaurant revisits classics like hummus, “served with a siphon, lighter and more textured,” as well as fattoush, served in bite-sized portions. The goal is to blend tradition and innovation using French techniques.
The menu changes three times a year, in alignment with the seasons, to keep interest alive. A 12-course tasting menu, available at the six-seat chef’s table for $70, is served alongside an à la carte selection with an average check of $55. Reservations are already fully booked until early September.
This refined restaurant injects new energy into Mar Mikhail, a neighborhood renowned for its bars and restaurants.
L Matbakh is open only in the evenings from 7 p.m. to midnight, with Sunday lunch service from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. It operates with two daily seatings: the first at 7 p.m. and the second at 9 p.m. Reservations for the chef’s table are required due to the venue's high popularity. For other options, walk-ins are welcome, but “we’re nearly full all summer,” Saad notes. The team consists of approximately 30 employees, including 15 kitchen staff who work alongside Saad and Harb.
Article not found.
The project required an investment of about $800,000, with 70 percent coming from Saad and the remainder from her partner Harb. The 300-square-meter space is divided into 150 m² of indoor space and 150 m² on the terrace, as well as a dedicated 75 m² kitchen for preparing hot dishes. The restaurant has a total of 100 seats, split evenly between the interior and the terrace.
The story of L Matbakh begins with the bold career changes of its two founders. Formerly an auditor, Saad worked for a heating company. She switched to gastronomy, as did Harb, who was previously an interior designer. Two years ago, they met during a nine-month course at Le Cordon Bleu in Tabarja specializing in cooking and French techniques, and they earned their degrees at the end of 2024.
Saad said, “We both said to each other that we’d like to open our own restaurant together, and that’s what we did, in April of the following year!”
When choosing the type of cuisine, Harb and Saad made their decision quickly. “Lebanese cuisine is so rich; no one has fully reimagined it yet. Recreating it while respecting its origin and original taste,” she emphasized.
This approach of subtly blending French precision with local tastes is reflected in every dish: chicken liver brûlée, “coffee caviar,” reimagined textures… L Matbakh aims to challenge conventions while keeping the authentic flavors of Lebanese cuisine intact.
Given the restaurant's rapid success, the two founders are already considering expanding the concept. “Nothing concrete for now, but we have had franchise offers in the Gulf and even in Africa. We’re open to it!”
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
