Beirut welcomes Reif Othman’s Suki - Asian street soul with a local touch, assalamu alaikum
Assalamu alaikum. Bringing street-style Asian comfort food to Beirut, Suki serves bold, authentic flavours with a modern twist. The new casual restaurant from Karim Jaber features a strong yet elegant menu crafted by Singapore-born, Dubai-based chef Reif Othman, known for restaurants like Reif Kushiyaki, Hoe Lee Kow and Tero.
Othman, one of the region’s notable chefs with several Michelin Bib Gourmand nods and other awards, is famous for refined, exciting dishes - think his Wagyu sando and viral yuzu dessert - and now Beirut gets to enjoy his approach in Saifi Village.
He explains his cooking philosophy simply: respect good ingredients, don’t overcomplicate things, and use solid techniques to let flavours shine. Travel, especially to Japan and the US, inspires much of his work, and for Suki he wanted honest, comforting food in a casual, youthful neighbourhood that people can visit often.
The decor channels Japanese night‑market vibes-minimalist lucky cats, colourful sake barrels, and hanging fabric banners with fish motifs-giving a contemporary nod to traditional stalls and festival eateries.
The menu mixes classic Japanese plates and shareable dishes, all balanced for texture and taste. Expect crunchy pickled cucumber salad, crispy spring rolls, fresh sushi and hearty ramen. The dim sum and gyoza are highlights, introduced carefully so styles from different countries don’t get muddled.
Othman avoids calling Suki fusion: most dishes keep their original identity but are a bit more playful. He noticed Beirut lacked well-made dim sum on past visits, so Suki became a chance to bring proper dumplings to the city.
Many dishes use local produce and seasonal ingredients, with only a few Japanese items imported, so flavours stay fresh. One favourite is a beef claypot dish inspired by Singaporean claypot tradition: rice cooked in beef stock, topped with grilled Angus, mushrooms, fried onions and a touch of butter for contrast.
The result is umami-rich, comforting food with earthy mushrooms in the rice, sweet crispy onions, tender beef and fresh notes from spring onions and shiso leaf - a good example of elevating home-style dishes into balanced plates.
When shaping the menu, Othman adjusted flavours for Lebanese tastes, favouring a bit more tang and brightness rather than the very salty, savoury style popular in the Gulf.
Other standouts to try are shrimp sesame toast, har gau dim sum with mixed seafood wrapped in a squid-ink skin, and a spicy tuna roll. Save room for dessert: banana fritters with miso caramel and ice cream or a light Japanese cheesecake with cream and berries finish the meal nicely.
Looking ahead, Othman plans seasonal specials alongside the regular menu, adding more Chinese dishes like Mongolian beef or sweet-and-sour shrimp and extra ramen for cooler months, aiming to introduce more authentic options where pan-Asian and westernised dishes have been common.
Welcome to Suki - a casual spot serving honest Asian soul food with a local touch. Enjoy, and bismillah.
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