It’s been almost four weeks since Beirut Express opened its doors to customers on Fort Street in Victoria. It seems like just yesterday that store owner Charbel Hage excitedly saw me peering in his window on my way to the inner harbour for a few pre-fireworks drinks on Canada Day.
The affable Hage seems at home in his restaurant now. A large LCD television has been installed in the corner; his website which promises online ordering and eventually deliveries looks to be about ready; and on Friday he seemed barely able to contain his excitement as he showed off the newly installed granite counter tops encircling the restaurant.
If it sounds like I’m familiar with his operation it’s because I’ve become something of a regular. It has gotten to the point that when a new staff member (I was also there enjoying a falafel when she was being interviewed and subsequently hired) was confused about the location of take-out plates, I pointed out the appropriate cabinet to her. As I said, I’ve spent a lot of time there. But it’s a difficult place to resist, particularly for someone who has been lamenting the lack of falafel in this town for more than three years now.
Hage’s personality is a big part of it, as well. His excitement and enthusiasm are undeniable and makes the big man seem the perfect host, right at home behind the counter or wandering out front to chat up his customers as he can often be found doing.
In talking with him, he makes no secret of his feelings for some of the negative comments to which he’s been subjected in online message boards and blogs. He feels much of the criticism is unwarranted and takes particular pain at the suggestion that his food and restaurant are not authentic. His protesting makes abundantly clear to all who listen to him that he’s more than just a businessman concerned about the ill effects of negative reviews on his bottom line. He’s clearly passionate about food and about sharing his culture with Victorians. To question its authenticity is to question his own.
Like all restaurants, there are some bumps along the way as Beirut Express establishes itself. Those hurdles are only made to seem larger when presenting a foreign food to a customer base that thinks they know what to expect. Many Victorians, for instance, don’t understand the gulf between Greek and Middle Eastern foods and expect to find tzaziki on their shawarmas and falafels and the thicker, buttery pitas that typify Greek offerings like gyros.
For the record, as someone who has eaten falafels everywhere from Ottawa to Winnipeg to Vancouver to the Harvard campus (yep, you read that one right) to a little hole-in-the-wall stand in Jerusalem’s old city, I can vouch for the food’s authenticity. And it’s come a long way since my first visit, which showed infinite promise but clear signs of the challenges the new spot was facing. The meat for the shawarmas is much juicier – a result of the staff gaining familiarity with the process and the equipment, no doubt. And they’ve added toppings, as well, with my favorite being the very traditional pickled turnips (it sounds strange, perhaps, but it truly makes the dish). They’ve also gotten much faster in preparing orders and the prices have come down. Hage said that he just felt bad that customers were paying so much once taxes were included. So he lowered his prices. I also had the opportunity to sample some delicious baklava that should be making its way to the restaurant’s menu soon.
If you’re looking for a quick bite in downtown Victoria and are looking for something a little out of the ordinary, stop in at Beirut Express with an open mind. Try the shawarma. Or better yet, try the falafel with pickled turnips and hot sauce.
