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If you have always wanted to explore Middle Eastern culture, there is no better place to start than with food. Toot Beirut Shawarma & More in Rogers is the right place to begin your culinary adventure.
Roots and toots.
Khaled Alkhatib, the chef and owner of Toot Beirut Shawarma, opened his Middle Eastern restaurant in the fall of 2022. Before moving to Rogers, Chef Khaled had a successful and award-winning restaurant called Vivace in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. If the name Vivace sounds familiar, it’s because it is! His brother, Saul, runs the delicious Vivace Cuisine restaurant in Bentonville.
Chef Khaled (and his brother) is a third-generation restauranteur, learning to cook from his grandfather, a restauranteur in Paris.
Toot Beirut Shawarma serves many Middle Eastern and Lebanese classics based on his family’s background. I found it interesting that “toot” (okay, “tout”) means “everything” in French and that “toot” in Arabic means “mulberry,” the historical foundation of the silk industry in Lebanon. There’s also a popular song from the 1980s by Marcel Khalife, written about his excitement of traveling to Beirut, called “Toot Toot a’ Beirut.”
Long story short – Toot Beirut Shawarma is everything, Beirut! I plan on returning often to “travel to Beirut” through the entire menu. It’s that good!
Let’s eat!
If this is your first time, order anything on the menu. You won’t go wrong! However, you must must always order a side of pickles. Not just because pickled and fermented foods support a healthy gut but also because the small plate of pickled turnips, olives, peppers and pickles are refreshingly delicious and just a little bit out of the ordinary.
I recommend something classic, such as hummus or baba ganoush. Those dishes are an excellent way to orient yourself, similar to ordering Chicken Marsala in an Italian Restaurant or Tikki Masala in an Indian restaurant.
Since shawarma is mentioned in the restaurant name, get it. That’s good advice for any restaurant with a menu item listed in its name.
The Chicken Saj Shawarma is a handheld roll for one person and is perfect for to-go orders. If you order the dinner plate, it will be served sliced in bite-size with a side of fries. I have loved chicken shawarma ever since I first tasted it on a trip to Palestine. Chicken shawarma is similar to gyro beef, which is shaved. At Toot Beiruit, the Chicken Shawarma comes flavorfully packed with garlic and pickles. Incredible!
Another tasty dish is the Manakish, similar to pita bread, topped with za’atar, cheese, or meat. At Toot Beiruit, their Manakish is folded to look like an adorable little boat. I ordered the Cheese Manakish, made with a Syrian cheese blend. I will try the Lahem Bajeen Manakish, a mixture of fresh vegetables and lamb, on the next trip.
The menu has family-style platters, Kebabs, regional drinks, Falafels and various savory sandwiches. Everything Beiruit!
Dessert is worth it.
You will find specialty Baklavas and cakes you can order or dine in when you walk into the restaurant.
I highly recommend the Knafeh dessert. This traditional Middle Eastern dessert originates in Lebanon, Turkey, Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Greece. It’s made with a spun pastry called kataifi, soaked in a sugar-based syrup and layered with cheese. This dessert comes hot, so eat it as soon as it arrives. That’s right, set aside that falafel or Manakish and eat the Knafeh when it’s hot. Sprinkled with rose petals, this dessert is INCREDIBLE and meant to be savored!
Experience Beirut.
I hope you can try Toot Beirut the next time our plans take you to Rogers. Those who have lived in the Rogers area may recognize its location at the once-insanely-popular Green Bean restaurant at the Village of the Creeks.
Eat the menu, experiment, linger and enjoy your culinary travel experience to Beirut.
Toot Beirut Shawarma & More
5208 Village Pkwy #11
Rogers, AR
479-268-5013
HOURS:
Tuesday – Saturday – 11 AM – 8 PM
Sunday – 11 AM – 4 PM
Monday – Closed
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