I’ve been waiting for so long… So long for this unidentified project to see the light. More than six months ago, I had the chance to take a sneak peek into what was to become one of the most daring architectural wonder Lebanon has ever witnessed… The Junkyard is a restaurant built from scraps, metals and recycled materials… So just imagine the outcome.
Yes, you’re right, Junkyard actually existed two years ago. It was a pop up concept with one single container dropped off in the heart of Mar Mikhael offering food aficionados preparations depending on the market availability and the chef’s mood. Today, the Junkyard boasts 12 full fledge containers combining a bar, a restaurant, a terrace and many private sections for more intimate dining.
Leave your car with the valet service and prepare yourself to be amazed. Pass the high arch where a pair of shaky ass will provoke your temper preparing you for the finest. Don’t be shocked. Come in with an open mind to appreciate the art that will surround you…
More is yet to come. As you walk through the wooden isle, things start to become clearer as a large metallic door opens up to welcome you.
Dimmed lights, a small corridor… The space is cozy and intimate. A series of broken cutting discs, all used in the construction phase decorate the left wall while up on the low ceiling you’ll find a handful of paint buckets that will help color your senses…
Walk further into the atrium, the arena of wonders and enjoyment… The cocktail of colors that will take your breath away. Welcome to the Junkyard, this unique space, Mario Haddad, owner, calls his baby.
Take a deep breath and start by looking at the ceiling and its imposing chandelier, the floor covered with precast concrete, the stone fountain takes you back memory lane while the colorful chairs suck you into the party like a magnet.
Don’t miss the huge unique table on the left side made from a hundred metallic pipes weighting dozens of tons. Look at the different old windows or the large bottle door that traps the cool of the air conditioning.
If you choose to sit inside, a bar made of a heavy concrete block and decorated with empty bottles, will welcome you for a drink under dimmed yellow lighting… But definitely outside is more fun. Fun in all the sense of the meaning… You will find Sukleen workers and transporters, a Mercedes truck, an army vehicle and the garage wing … all guaranteed to amaze you.
Look around further and enjoy the beautiful graffiti work, which took days of work and creativity.
I was speechless… Take the stairs build out of caterpillar chains where a bar takes over the first floor. But the interesting part is few stairs away… It’s the roof, which provides an overview over the whole concept and how it blends into the neighborhood.
The place is pure candy for the eyes. Grab your phones and start clicking… a lot of details to be captured and shared on social media with your friends… I loved the metallic bar and its screws, the green grass covering all the space, the colored lamps around the bar that stands on metallic pipes, the tables built from tiny little pieces of wood, the green soufflé glasses… and the other broken ones served at the bar… A perfect photo would be on the old caterpillar that decorates the garden or near the box explosives… There’s a lot to see.
Surely I am missing out on a lot of details, which I hope you will discover and share with us… You’ll find many Abarth boxes, gas tanks or the special garage style tables… But this space is really a piece of art you have to enjoy calmly and smoothly while it takes more than one visit to absorb all.
Check the photos and judge for yourself. I will be coming back for a detailed review on the food, and service but until then, here is an exclusive look into this unique setup that will quench your thirst to go discover more…
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