Saj Stories Beirut
Saj with a twist
Another hidden gem in the Gemmayze neighborhood, a few yards from the bottom of the St. Nicolas staircase. Saj stories is a well-lit, cutely decorated, and very welcoming interior that looks artistic. The employees are always smiling, very helpful, and the display of the ingredients on the large white counter, with the flowers and the music in the background, made us want to eat the saj concoctions right there! While waiting for the food to be prepared, we read some of the notes on the wall where customers wrote their stories.
It was a stormy and cold night, and the cozy space invited us to take some time before rushing back home. We tried a traditional kishk saj and 4 out of the six specialty saj options: c'est la feta (feta, tomatoes, zaatar mix, and onions with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses), hum yum (hummus, beetroot, oregano, and seed mix), potato egg (mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, spring onion, radish, and a sprinkle of sumac), and pear up (roasted pears and almonds, goat cheese, honey, and rosemary as a dessert).
My all-time favorite was the feta saj blend. Then the hummus saj, which was yummylicious, and the other two specialties were also flavorful. The kishk was good but could have been more extraordinary. I can still guarantee you will be licking your fingers after eating the small saj creations at this spot. It is a bit pricey but definitely worth a try!
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