“I wanted for whoever walks into Bait Maryam to feel like they’re coming home to their mother,” says Salam Dakkak, Palestinian Jordanian Salam Dakkak, chef-owner of Bait Maryam, who considers all her diners to be members of her family.
Among the plethora of eateries tucked within the clusters of Jumeirah Lake Towers sits Bait Maryam – a homegrown Levantine restaurant that received both a Bib Gourmand distinction and the Welcome and Service Award in the MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2022 edition.
This eatery serves a set of homestyle dishes from the Levant countries of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan, in addition to some specialty dishes and the chef’s own culinary creations. It’s a place where diners can experience the veritable Arab hospitality known for its conviviality and bountifulness on both food and service levels.
Through Bait Maryam, Dakkak wants to bring people together and offer them a home when they feel homesick. With its soothing and cosy atmosphere reflected in its homey décor featuring rustic wooden chairs, tables and cabinets and arched windows, typically found in Levantine houses, to beautiful trinkets and various condiments stacked on shelves spread across the space, Bait Maryam, which literally means the home of Maryam in Arabic, truly embodies an Arab house run by an Arab mother.
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A Heartwarming Service
From the very moment one sets foot in this restaurant, they get a sense of home away from home. Servers welcome them with contagious smiles and genuine friendliness – a philosophy that made Bait Maryam worthy of the MICHELIN Guide’s Welcome and Service Award.
“Bait Maryam feels as though you’re in a village. You’re always greeted with a smile. People keep coming back, because they want the closeness and warmth that Bait Maryam offers. My staff are more than just employees. They call me ‘mama’,” says Dakkak.
The Muse
After the passing of Dakkak’s mother Maryam, the Palestinian Jordanian chef wanted to commemorate her name in any way she could. Her departed mother was her muse: she taught her how to cook and was the reason she grew to become the person she is today. For Dakkak, she owes it all to Maryam.
The Bib Gourmand eatery is in fact an ode to Maryam and draws inspiration from her. “When Maryam passed away, I wanted to create something special that I would name after her,” says Dakkak.
“At Bait Maryam, I serve dishes based on my mother’s recipes and other food creations inspired by her. Everything I kept from her, such as her frames, artefacts, curtains, and many of her other personal items, are featured in my restaurant,” adds Dakkak.
What To Order At Bait Maryam
Every dish that Dakkak serves at Bait Maryam is made with so much love. This eatery is a gateway to the Levantine culinary world, featuring iconic Levant staples from hummus and manakeesh to mohalabiah and kunafa.For those who want more than a mere introduction to Levantine cuisine, Dakkak recommends the daily homestyle dishes, as well as her gastronomic creations that are mostly inspired by her mother.
Daily dishes include Chicken Molokhiah – the chef’s personal favourite – in addition to Waraq Enab and Koosa (vine leaves and marrows stuffed with seasoned meat and rice mix) and Chicken Moghrabieh (Lebanese stew with semolina pearls, chicken, chickpeas, shallot onions, and Oriental spices).
For savoury options with a twist, sample the Fatet Maryam Musakhan, Kabab Hamoudi, Maryam Fukhara, or Maryam Salad. Fatet Maryam Musakhan consists of chicken mixed with sumac and topped with garlic yoghurt and fried pita bread. Kabab Hamoudi is named after Dakkak’s son Mohammad – whose nickname is Hamoudi – and has charcoal grilled kabab served with fried tomatoes mixed with garlic and eggplant mutabal. Maryam Fukhara is a mix of fried kibbeh topped with pomegranate molasses and tamarind sauce. As for Maryam Salad, it is a refreshing salad made from rocket leaves and beetroot chunks mixed with yoghurt, tahini, and lemon juice and topped with walnuts.
Don’t miss the range of mouthwatering desserts at Bait Maryam, including Kunafa with Pistachio and Umm Ali.
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