Restaurant Review: Savour South American, Levantine flavours at Soul Kitchen
The concept is a fusion I've never seen before — South American and Levantine. On paper, it might seem like an unlikely match, but in reality, it's the most seamless marriage, resulting in bold, unforgettable flavours. We started with their homemade sesame baguette, served with dukkah and Lebanese olive oil, quickly followed by chimichurri hummus and chicken shawarma empanadas topped with mango salsa. Then came the true showstopper: the wagyu kafta arepa. The kafta patty was insanely juicy and rich, balanced perfectly by vinegary pickled red cabbage and a light, fluffy arepa casing.
The mains were just as striking, each unlike anything I'd tried before. The standout dish of the night had to be the tamarind lamb chops, served with delicate, 1,000-layer yucca potatoes and a strained labneh dressing. Every bite had it all — the sweet tang of the perfectly cooked chops, the crisp saltiness of the yucca, and the creamy richness of the labneh. We also tried the beef short rib birria with chocolate and cauliflower purée, which was enjoyable but didn't pack quite the same punch as the other dishes. Another favourite was the Caribbean red snapper, paired with an incredibly unique tomato and coconut sofrito, bringing a fresh contrast to the heavier dishes.
Beyond the food, the restaurant itself is effortlessly cool. The soft pink interiors, moody dim lighting, and a layout designed around the stage at the back all align with the energy of the menu. Elevating the entire experience, the live band took the stage. The lead singer — reminiscent of Frank Ocean — delivered jazzy soul and R&B, blending seamlessly into the atmosphere.
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Middle East Eye
11 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Ziad Rahbani: A musical genius connected to his people
This week, mourning crowds gathered outside Khoury Hospital in Beirut's Hamra neighbourhood to bid a final farewell to the iconic and much-adored Lebanese composer, pianist and playwright Ziad Rahbani, who passed away at just 69. Rahbani reportedly chose not to undergo a liver transplant, following months of hesitation over the treatment of his deteriorating health. The crowd - many dressed in black, clutching roses, a few Palestinian and Lebanese Communist party flags and some holding up Ziad's portrait - spontaneously broke into a solemn chant of Saalouni el Nass (People Asked Me). It was the first song Ziad ever composed for his mother, Fairuz, written when he was just 17. As the hearse carrying his body departed for his funeral in Bikfaya, the mourners erupted into applause and whistles - as if this was Ziad's final play, the curtains closing on a remarkable and unrepeatable chapter of artistic authenticity, social and political rebellion and intellectual brilliance. When asked by a reporter "What did Lebanon lose today?", Talal Haider, the great Lebanese poet and close friend of Ziad, poignantly replied "Lebanon lost itself". New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Comrade Ziad At a young age, on the cusp of the Lebanese civil war, Ziad left East Beirut where his family were living, to settle in Hamra, choosing to live at the heart of Lebanon's pro-Palestinian leftist movements and communist party, among his comrades and friends. Hamra was the neighbourhood where Ziad spent most of his life. His home and famous recording studio, Nota, were there. His historic plays - that shaped Lebanon's daily life, people's consciousness, sarcasm and vocabulary for decades - were first staged in its theatres such as Piccadilly. There's not a single house in Lebanon that Ziad wasn't present in. His work touched everyone, even those who were against him politically And he played countless concerts in the neighbourhood's small jazz clubs and hotel bars, like Blue Note and the Cavalier. Since the 1970s until today, his music has been played on a daily basis in Hamra's bars and cafes - many of them once his regular hangouts. And on Monday, he left Hamra forever. This was the people's funeral for Ziad Rahbani, known affectionately as Comrade Ziad. The huge crowd that filled the streets included his friends, neighbours, comrades, actors, musicians, writers and poets from across Lebanese society. And of course, his fans - an entire generation raised on his music and plays. There's not a single house in Lebanon that Ziad wasn't present in. His work touched everyone, even those who were against him politically would secretly listen to his music. Ziad may have been a cultural icon and visionary, but he lived modestly, among the people and his community. Ziad's socially realist and politically charged plays from the 1970s to the 1990s spoke to a whole generation and brought him national acclaim. While he had previously contributed music to the plays of his father and uncle - the monumental artistic duo known as the Rahbani Brothers - on productions such as Al Mahatta (The Station, 1973) and Mais El Rim (1975), Ziad quickly carved out his own distinct identity as a playwright, director and actor. Lebanese musician Ziad Rahbani playing the piano, the instrument that has shaped most of his compositions since his first ventures in the early 1970s (AFP) His second play, Nazel el Surour (The Happiness Hotel, 1973), written when he was just 18, marked a turning point in modern Arabic theatre. A bold political satire - often said to have predicted the civil war - it tackled themes of corruption, class inequality and poked fun at failed revolutionary ideals. In Bennesbeh Labokra… Chou? (What About Tomorrow?), Ziad focused his attention on the struggles of Lebanon's working class and their everyday hardships. Ziad's plays combined deep and complex subject matter with a dark fatalistic humour that dissected Lebanese society And in Film Ameriki Tawwil (The American Motion Picture), inspired by One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - he explored sectarianism and the division and despair it brought, criticising its discourse and exposing the banality of it in the middle of the Lebanese civil war. Ziad's plays - listened to religiously throughout the war and until today - combined deep and complex subject matter with a dark, fatalistic humour that dissected Lebanese society. They captured the absurdity and doomed reality of life in Lebanon under sectarian politics, class divides and war - themes that sadly have not lost their relevance today. The songs he composed for them - set to lush soundscapes with influences ranging from Brazilian, soul, funk, jazz and dabke - revealed his encyclopedic knowledge of music, and genius ability in arranging and composing, and fusing different styles and genres. The father of 'Oriental jazz' Ziad's timeless soundtracks came to define the sound of the leftist movement, and jokes and phrases from the plays seeped into everyday conversation, becoming part of the cultural fabric. His work was a guiding force in Lebanon's political consciousness. He shaped the leftist movements that he was part of with his ideas, radio shows, writings and music. Elias Rahbani: Eleven tracks that defined Lebanese musician's life and legacy Read More » Ziad's contribution to Lebanese and Arabic music was revolutionary - laying new foundations for its modernisation. He created his own musical world, always innovating and coming out with pioneering ideas that resulted in forward-thinking waves of music. He was a musical genius who was able to create his own distinct sound and identity, completely separate from the shadow of the Rahbani Brothers - his father Assi and uncle Mansour Rahbani - and his mother, Fairuz, who dominated the Lebanese music industry for decades. As an artist, his musical offering was difficult to categorise and define - elegant and complex yet subtle, gritty and experimental yet accessible, and never lacking in originality. Across his career, he covered the full spectrum of styles, from the Rahbani Brothers' classical sound to unusual bellydance records, Arabic jazz, funk, disco and soul to tarab, dabke, Brazilian, Latin and political protest music. He took elements of the genres he loved to compose new chapters in Arabic music that were distinctly Ziad. A true musical maverick, he was able to present his ideas in a way that immediately connected to his people. Ziad Rahbani was the father of 'Oriental jazz', the term he used (and later critiqued) when he fused Arabic and jazz music over several projects such as Houdou Nisbi and Behashakal, the sound later becoming part of his musical identity. While the greats of Arabic music had long brought a variety of international influences into their music, Ziad's contribution left an undeniable mark on contemporary Arabic music. We can trace the beginnings of Oriental jazz to Abu Ali - the 13-minute masterpiece, an Arabic jazz-funk instrumental version of the introduction for his 1974 play Abu Ali Al Asmarani. It was recorded in Athens with the 35-piece symphony orchestra of Greek radio at great cost, and released on the small and innovative independent label Zida run by Lebanese-Armenian producer Khatchik Mardirian, which put out all of Ziad's creative output for two years. Ziad even flew out members of his inner circle to be involved in the project, including the actor and singer Joseph Sakr, his close friend and longtime collaborator, and two members of the cult politically engaged group Firkat Al Ard, who he was working with at the time - guitarist Issam Hajali and jazz saxophonist and composer Toufic Farroukh. Ziad's productions brought Fairuz closer to the people, reshaping her sound for a rapidly changing Lebanon and wider Arab world Aimed at the global disco market, Abu Ali didn't break internationally at the time of its release in 1979, but the record displays Ziad's immense talent as a composer, and his perfectionism - sometimes to the point of obsession - when it came to instrumentation and arrangement. As Hajali told us in a previous interview about Abu Ali, "[Ziad] wrote everything. Nothing was accidental, everything was written, even the whisper". Forty years later, it has become a cult record, played on international radio stations and in the global underground clubbing scene. On the same trip to Greece, the music for Fairuz's 1979 album Wahdon was recorded. Also released on Zida, it was a landmark release for the iconic singer - the first to be entirely produced, composed and arranged by her son. Ziad's collaboration with Fairuz spanned decades. He revolutionised her sound, modernising it for a new generation and bringing a multitude of influences, from jazz and Brazilian, to her music across albums like Kifak Inta?, Maarifti Feek and Wala Keef?. Lebanese diva Fairuz (C) talks to her son, composer Ziad Rahbani (R), and Armenian conductor Karen Durgarian during rehearsals prior to their Dubai concert on 23 January 2003 (AFP) This transformation of Fairuz's musical style - paired with bold lyrics - was initially controversial to some across the Arabic-speaking world. It marked a sharp departure from the romantic folkloric style and weighty poetic lyricism that had defined the Rahbani Brothers' work, where Fairuz was positioned as the ethereal voice of a fictionalised ideal of Lebanon - elevating her to an untouchable sacred figure. Ziad's productions brought Fairuz closer to the people, reshaping her sound for a rapidly changing Lebanon and wider Arab world, and placing her as a modern evolving artist, rather than a nostalgic and static symbol to the past. Raw and uncompromising Ziad lived his life and made music in unwavering alignment with his vision and ideals - always raw and uncompromising. Ziad wasn't just a cultural giant, he was a lexicon, a mood, a feeling, at the very crux of Lebanese identity He kept a strong political and social consciousness to his work throughout his career, fighting against all forms of commercialism, consumerism and capitalism in music and society. He was deeply involved in Lebanon's political life, expressing strong - and often controversial - opinions about what was happening in the country and regionally through his articles, music, radio shows and interviews. His opinions, political analyses and cutting humour made reverberations throughout Lebanese society - even among his political opponents. Ziad didn't do things in half measures. Music and politics were his only worries. He lived a free life, on his own terms, and left the same way. But he wasn't just a cultural giant, Ziad was a lexicon, a mood, a feeling, at the very crux of Lebanese identity. With his death, his legend and the legacy he left behind will live on. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
Broadcast Pro
11 hours ago
- Broadcast Pro
Zawya Cinema to screen Lebanon civil war documentary ‘Green Line'
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Campaign ME
2 days ago
- Campaign ME
OLX or Dubizzle? Debate ends as brand lets consumers choose its name in Lebanon
After years of public debate and confusion between 'OLX' and 'Dubizzle' in Lebanon, the brand finally decided to let its devoted community of users pick its name through a digital-first and influencer-leaning campaign that put both these names to a public vote. To ask users whether they preferred 'OLX' or 'Dubizzle'. the brand teamed up with 11 Lebanese comedians who contributed hilarious content, highlighting the ongoing name confusion and encouraging audiences to vote through Instagram polls and a dedicated landing page. The entirely digital-first campaign ran across: Social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok): Organic influencer-led content and polls. Eleven Lebanese comedians, including John Achkar, Peterwenmaken, Ohmyjad, Gstrings, Patrick Daoud, Farix, Amal Taleb, Basit Nation, Ali Ettihad, Kimo Wazen, and Fouad Yammine, contributed hilarious content highlighting the ongoing name confusion and encouraged their audiences to vote through Instagram polls. Digital advertising: Meta and Google ad campaigns driving traffic to a dedicated voting landing page. Owned channels: OLX Lebanon's OLX Lebanon's social media platforms , app and website amplified the voting call to action.. The humorous, and highly effective, campaign was brought to life by OLX Lebanon's in-house creative design team, influencer management experts The Goat Agency, media planning and buying agency Mindshare, while Moving Frame supported with the CGI reveal video and Cachoeira supported with the PR and communications. Beyond a branding exercise, the campaign made a statement about how brands ought to listen to their audience, prioritise brand equity and remain agile enough to act on consumer sentiment. OLX Lebanon tapped into nostalgia, local loyalty, and people-powered marketing to reclaim its position — and identity — in Lebanon. Objectives and success of the OLX Lebanon campaign OLX Lebanon began with the the objective of resolving years of public debate and confusion between the names 'OLX' and 'Dubizzle' by directly involving its community in the decision. The campaign aimed to: Reaffirm OLX's position as Lebanon's #1 classifieds platform. Build deeper emotional connection and trust by empowering users to choose the brand's name. Turn an ongoing cultural conversation (the OLX vs. Dubizzle debate) into a participatory branding milestone, reinforcing OLX's agility and willingness to listen to its audience. These objectives were translated beyond a traditional rebranding into an interactive, shareable, and digital-first campaign. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karim wazzan (@kimo_wa) Because OLX Lebanon's user base is highly active online, the brand felt that a digital and social-first strategy was the natural fit. The campaign intended to meet people where they already spend their time and provide an immediate, frictionless way to participate. The brand chose a social media approach to maximise reach, leverage humour and tap into virality through relatable content. Digital ads ensured targeted amplification and voting conversion. By avoiding traditional offline channels such as billboards and radio, OLX kept the campaign participatory and real-time, matching its focus on community engagement and transparency. The campaign ran from 26 June 2025 to 30 July 2025. The success of the campaign was measured through: Public participation: More than 100,000 votes across social polls and the landing page. Engagement metrics: Influencer content drove high interaction rates, achieving 2 million in reach and 120,000 in engagement. Brand sentiment: Positive social mentions and nostalgic sentiment reaffirmed OLX's emotional bond with its users. The result? More than 87 per cent of the 100,000+ consumers who voted chose OLX, delivering a decisive and community-backed outcome to the brand name. CREDITS: Client: OLX Lebanon [formerly also known as Dubizzle] Creative design: OLX Lebanon in-house team Influencer management: The Goat Agency Media planning and buying: Mindshare MENA CGI reveal video: Moving Frame PR and communications: Cachoiera
