Reading Beirut's Memories and Scars Through Lamb Fat Fried Eggs 🍳✨

My first trip to Beirut was in 2017. Under the weight of mental health struggles and my professor's encouragement, I paused my university studies, packed my bags, and moved to Lebanon for a while. That year not only healed my mind but also made Beirut one of my favorite cities in the world—a place I’ve returned to over a dozen times in eight years. And in all those visits, there’s one restaurant I drag every friend to—a place that feels like a living footnote of modern Lebanese history. Opened in 1890, it’s called Al Soussi. My go-to order? Lamb fat fried eggs 🥚🐑. The 70-something owner scoops a heap of awarma (slow-cooked lamb confit in tail fat) into a well-loved, slightly warped iron pan, cracks in two eggs, and stir-fries them over high flame. The explosive aroma of lamb and fat soaks into the eggs, finished with a dusting of chili powder. Wrapped in warm Arabic bread, it’s my ultimate comfort food. Their hummus is legendary too 🧆. Less tangy, extra garlicky, and fluffier than most, topped with sizzling pine nuts and lamb bits—a richer, more soul-satisfying version. The stir-fried chicken livers? Silky-soft, balanced with pomegranate molasses and lemon for a sweet-sour kick, wok-tossed with onions till fragrant—reminiscent of Cantonese stir-fries 🍜🔥. Even the lamb testicles are tender and zero gaminess, stir-fried to bouncy perfection. And the fatteh? A textural symphony: boiled chickpeas layered with garlicky yogurt, crispy fried flatbread crumbs, toasted pine nuts, and a dusting of cumin and chili. As my friend put it: "Cold, hot, crunchy, sticky, creamy—flavor fireworks!" 🎇 Every dish here heals with flavor. Here’s to the owners’ health—I’ll be back soon. ❤️ 📍 Al Soussi, Beirut #LebaneseFood #MiddleEasternCuisine #FoodTravel #BeirutEats #ComfortFood #EatLikeALocal #FoodieMemories #TasteOfHistory 🥙✈️