If you decide to have brunch on Sundays at the Al Shaam restaurant, you should bring hunger with you in both senses of the word. For one, considering the huge portion of breakfast; on the other hand, you should also be hungry for new experiences and for the variety of flavors of Syrian-Lebanese cuisine to be discovered there.
Janett Istifan and her husband Istifan Istifan have been running the Al Shaam restaurant in Neuhausen since 1998 and, according to their own statements, are the only restaurant in Munich that offers an Arabic brunch. Their daughter Cemile Hanna waits tables in the restaurant – Elie Hanna, their son-in-law, has specialized in Arabic pastries in Beirut and now bakes at Al Shaam.
The eight wooden tables in the outdoor area are divided between Leonrodstrasse and the quieter Albrechtstrasse. In the latter, you sit on the sidewalk in the shade of the awning and some trees. People on bicycles, children on skateboards or pedestrians set the scene on Sundays. Inside, mosaic glass lamps hang from the ceiling and water pipes adorn the wood-panelled bar. Al Shaam can accommodate up to 80 people.
Al Shaam is the Arabic name for a coastal region in the eastern Mediterranean, also known as the Levant. In a narrower sense, this means the present-day states of Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian autonomous areas and the Turkish province of Hatay.
What is there and how much does it cost?
Every Sunday from 11 a.m. there is an Arabic breakfast brunch. All dishes are freshly prepared, so we ask that you reserve a table so the operators can plan. “We even pickle the chickpeas and then cook them,” says the operator. The brunch is designed as a menu, the “Al Shaam Special Sunday Brunch” costs 14.50 euros per person.
Gradually, the various Arabic specialties are brought to the table. A lot of decoration and other frills are avoided – the taste is convincing. To begin with, flatbread is served with vegetables, olives and pepperoni. For those with a sweet tooth, there are sweet spreads such as cherry jelly or rose jam. Overall, though, breakfast is hearty. As a hearty dip for the flatbread you get a yoghurt refined with mint and lemon and a fava bean stew.
The flatbread is accompanied by Foul, a fava bean stew.
(Photo: Catherine Hess)
Elie Hanna has specialized in Arabic pastries in Beirut and now bakes at Al Shaam.
(Photo: Catherine Hess)
The breakfast is rich and varied.
(Photo: Catherine Hess)
A particular specialty is the Manaesch. Istifan refers to it as “Lebanese breakfast pizza”. It comes in three versions: with minced meat, cheese and zatar – a spice mixture that tastes mainly of thyme and the sour sumac spice. The Manaesch is rolled out thinly and wonderfully crispy. “In Lebanon, manaesch is as common for breakfast as a pretzel here,” says Istifan. The “pizza” with minced meat is the only dish that contains meat. Vegetarians can also opt out of this option.
Fatteh is also served: fresh flatbread mixed with chickpeas, sesame paste, a minty yoghurt preparation and olive oil. On the cheese platter you will find not only conventional sheep’s cheese but also a cheese that Istifan calls “waterfall cheese”. The cheese, also made from sheep’s milk, has a stringy structure and an intense salty taste. A small glass of orange juice is also served with the meal – you have to order hot drinks such as cay, mocha or milk coffee.
Who do you meet here?
The Istifan family has been offering Arabic brunch with Lebanese specialties for eight years. In the beginning, it was mainly students from Lebanon who came for brunch on Sundays. “Meanwhile there are almost more Germans,” says Istifan. “We’ve never advertised breakfast before,” says the operator. But it spreads very well through word of mouth.
Al Shaam, Leonrodstrasse 45, 80636 Munich, Telephone: 089/01235661; Opening times: Brunch on Sundays from 11 a.m