Weathering the Restaurant Slump in Zaitunay Bay
It's no secret: Zaitunay Bay is not thriving in the manner its creators had envisioned . The original 17 dining establishments are down to 15: Zabad and Salmontini Riva closed their doors a few months ago and are already making way for new venues (Boubess' Pizzeria Pomodoro is one). The sad reality is that renting one of these outlets is as expensive as $500,000 per year, which translates to $42,000 per month, and many restaurants are not turning over this kind of revenue. Tourism in Lebanon has severely stagnated, and it's nowhere more evident than in Zaitunay Bay, as a midday or evening stroll on any weekday proves: there is hardly anyone. Perhaps Paul, Cappuccino, and Classic Burger Joint draw out the largest crowds, as they are casual eateries and their pricing schemes are standard across all branches. But the others, nearly all references in fine dining, are struggling. A few have advertised promotions to lure in guests. Cro Magnon, the steakhouse, offers...