São Paulo – Born in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state, Lisiane Haddad always enjoyed cooking. Living in Lebanon for 18 years, she used to sell typical Brazilian snacks to her local friends. Her coxinha (chicken dumpling) and pão de queijo (cheese bread) were hits and paved the way for a successful culinary career.
“When Unifil came to Lebanon, I started selling food to the Brazilian Navy crew members,” says Haddad of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, whose fleet is led by Brazil.
The experience of serving meals to lots of people led Haddad to expand her catering services. Then came events such as dinners, engagement and cocktail parties. “I do big cocktail parties, for 300, 400 people,” she says. Nowadays, catering is her main line of business, but in 2013 she decided to branch out and opened a small restaurant in the town of Antelias.
Haddad explains that on weekdays she serves set meals. Options include pumpkin shrimp, <i>baião de dois</i> (a rice-and-bean-based dish), steak parmigiana, stroganoff and even the classic rice, beans and chips.
The main attraction at Lisas Cuisine, however, is the Saturday <i>feijoada</i> (a traditional Brazilian black bean dish). “Every Saturday we have buffet-style <i>feijoada</i>. You have your traditional <i>feijoada </i>with pork, but you also have your halal <i>feijoada </i>with turkey sausage and smoked turkey bacon.” Halal means food or other products made in accordance with Islamic law, which prohibits pig meat. “It’s delicious and very famous,” Haddad boasts about her modified recipe.
The buffet also includes <i>feijoada</i> with beef and vegetarian, meat-free <i>feijoada</i>. Haddad says 70% of her clientele is made up of locals. “They really enjoy Brazilian food. For dinner, the pumpkin shrink is a hit because it looks good,” she says.
According to the restaurateur, many Lebanese who have been to Brazil want to show their friends back in Lebanon what they had to eat during their trip. “They like to try new things,” she points out. <i>Caipirinha</i> (a cachaça-and-lemon drink) is also successful among the Arabs. “They love it,” says Haddad.
In Beirut, Haddad also runs a snack bar at the Brazil-Lebanon Cultural Center, which is owned by the local Brazilian embassy. The bar opens from Mondays to Fridays. Haddad occasionally teaches cuisine lessons at the Center as well.
Lisas Cousine
Rahbani Brothers Street – Municipality Building – Ground Floor
Antelias, Lebanon
Phone: +961 4524088
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002373429101&fref=ts
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
