A busy night at the restaurant. (Credit: Corner 54)
Corner 54 opened on Dec. 18 with a simple promise: to once again serve as a neighborhood spot, created by industry professionals.
Located in the former La Ménagerie space in Tabaris, the restaurant is a group project led by seven partners.
"It took us six months to come up with a name, then one day we realized we were on 54th Street in Achrafieh. Corner 54 just came naturally," says Michel Razzouk, one of the owners, who manages the project.
The location wasn’t determined by a market study, but by a fortunate twist of events. "I was walking down the street when Walid Ataya, owner of Bread Republic and La Ménagerie, spotted me and invited me in for coffee right here.
"The place was run-down, and I wasn’t planning on opening another restaurant. But as soon as he suggested I join the project, I said yes. That’s how it all started."
The total investment was $550,000, including renovations. A reuse strategy helped offset part of that cost.
"There was already a lot of equipment in place, especially in the kitchen. We kept, reused, and adapted things," explains Razzouk.
'A group of friends'
The restaurant has 80 seats: roughly 30 in the dining room, the same at the bar, and about 20 outside.
Corner 54 has a dual identity: a lunch and dinner restaurant with an open kitchen, plus an oyster and aperitivo bar starting at 5 p.m.
Oysters are sourced from France, and the fish menu varies daily based on the catch and is written on chalk, emphasizing a flexible approach to supply.
There is also a selection of meats available, including Wagyu for steak frites, a ribeye, and lamb tartare for dinner. On the terrace, snacks like temaki or prosciutto skewers are served.
The kitchen also includes kamados, a type of barbecue used for both smoking and grilling. "All the fish and barbecue work is visible to customers; the rest is done in the closed kitchen," says Razzouk.
The offering will grow in the coming weeks, with Sunday brunches and guest chefs adding variety to the menu.
Corner 54 is organized around a clear division of responsibilities among partners. Walid Ataya, executive chef and former owner of La Ménagerie, owns the largest share of the business.
Razzouk holds the second-largest stake and oversees overall operations. The other partners split responsibilities for human resources, public relations, and ad hoc projects.
"We’re a group of friends, all from the business. That’s our strength," says Razzouk.
More than just a restaurant, Corner 54 aims to make a statement: "Reviving the neighborhood, that’s our goal too," he concludes.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
