D.C. Restaurants Are Making Special Dishes to Raise Money for Disaster Relief in Lebanon [Updated]

Earlier this week in Beirut, a massive explosion attributed to a dangerous stockpile of ammonium nitrate killed at least 137 people, injured another 5,000, and displaced more than 300,000 in the Lebanese capital. Marcelle Afram, the chef at Maydan and Compass Rose whose mother was born in Beirut, quickly worked with chef Roro Asmar (Asmar’s Mediterranean Foods) to organize a fundraising effort for disaster relief grouped under the hashtag #Beitna, which means “our house” in Arabic.

“It has so much symbolism behind it, even when you use it in Arabic,” Afram says. “When you welcome someone in Arabic you automatically tell them it’s our house, like, it’s theirs as well.”

Other D.C. restaurants and purveyors soon followed. Here’s where customers can support the fundraising effort by buying manoushe, hummus, and kebabs.

Taco Bamba

All Taco Bamba locations are offering a special taco, the Tony Khoury, with proceeds benefiting World Central Kitchen’s relief efforts in Beirut. Chef Victor Albisu’s Tony Khoury wraps shawarma-spiced steak, acho mayo, chipotle yogurt, cucumber pico de gallo and mint in a flour pita. The taco ($6) is available through the end of the month. The chain’s 5th area location opens Thursday, August 20 in Ballston.

Compass Rose

At Rose Previte’s global plates restaurant, Afram is making man’ousheh, a flatbread topped with minced lamb, roasted tomato, sumac onions, and mint. It comes with a side of labneh and costs $18. The restaurant is pledging 100 percent of the proceeds to the Lebanese Red Cross and Impact Lebanon. Order online through Tock. 1346 T Street NW

Maydan

At the Michelin-starred, wood-burning restaurant nearby, Afram is selling hummus loaded with harissa-braised goat and topped with pine nuts, sumac onions, and shishito peppers ($22). The restaurant is pledging 100 percent of the proceeds to the Lebanese Red Cross and Impact Lebanon. Order online through Tock. 1346 Florida Ave NW

Zikrayet/Asmar’s Foods

In Alexandria, Lebanese restaurant and lounge Zikrayet will donate a portion of meze sales to disaster relief. Parent company Asmar’s Foods is pledging a portion of proceeds from all sales of its original hummus, available in Whole Foods and Harris Teeter around the D.C. area, to the Lebanese Red Cross through August 12. Order pickup or delivery from Zikrayet here. 2006 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia

Residents Cafe & Bar/Muncheez

Dupont’s stylish day-to-night cafe, known for its espresso martinis, charred octopus, and avocado toasts, will donate 10 percent of sales towards Beirut relief programs (Saturday, August 8, through Saturday, August 15). Adjoining fast-casual falafel shop Muncheez will do the same. Both brands are run by Lebanese owners. 1306 18th Street NW

Albi

Chef Michael Rafidi’s wood-burning, Levantine restaurant in Navy Yard is selling mahshi, a golden summer squash stuffed with smoked lamb neck, cinnamon, and allspice. All proceeds will go to Impact Lebanon. Albi is open for limited indoor and outdoor dining, with family meals available for carryout on Tock. 1346 4th Street SE

Lucky Buns

Chef Alex McCoy’s global-themed burger bar (Adams Morgan, Union Market) is donating all profits from an adana burger — with a patty made of halal beef, charred red pepper, labneh, sumac onions, and fresh herbs — to disaster relief. Call (202) 506-1713 for takeout from 2000 18th Street NW, or order at Union Market.

Coin Mezze

The new Lebanese kitchen at U Street’s Brixton bar, overseen by chef Casey Bauer and Erik Bruner-Yang, is pledging proceeds of sales to the Lebanese Red Cross. Order takeout here. Roofdeck and indoor seating is available at the bar. 901 U Street NW

Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

Lei Musubi

The Hawaiian rice ball business will donate a portion of proceeds from two items — its OG musubi with caramelized Spam and sticky rice and a vegan option with smoked smoked kimchi. Order DIY musubi kits here. Saturday pickups at the Monroe farmers market at the Arts Walk, 716 Monroe Street NE

The Green Zone

Chris Hassaan Francke, the owner of the popular Middle Eastern cocktail bar in Adams Morgan, says it will donate proceeds from sales of three cocktails to the Lebanese Red Cross. That includes a Mint Lemonade & More, which features Jun Lebanese gin; a Lebanese No. 1 (Maison Rouge cognac, apricot); and a Shi Salbeh, made with Barr Hill gin. Order takeout or delivery online or reserve a seat on the expanded patio. 2226 18th Street NW

Lebanese Taverna

Grace Abi-Najm Shea, the second-generation owner of the local group of Lebanese restaurants, has organized a GoFundMe page to raise money for the Lebanese Red Cross. Donate here. Through the end of the month, all Lebanese Taverna and LebTav locations will also donate $1 from every order of hummus — its most popular dish by far — to World Central Kitchen to support their relief efforts in Beirut.

Capo

The Italian deli in Shaw will send all proceeds from a new pouched cocktail, For Beirut (Hendricks gin, basil, cucumber), to the Lebanese Red Cross.

• With a New Chef, Nationally Adored Maydan Will Explore a Different Corner of the Middle East [EDC]
• A Young Chef Leads a Switch to Lebanese Meze at U Street’s Brixton Bar [EDC]