If you are craving Lebanese food in Mumbai but want to explore beyond the hummus, pita bread, and falafel? SunBun now offers authentic Lebanese food for the ones who want to grab food on the go. With outlets in Powai, Andheri’s Marol, and Versova, they have a mix of cloud kitchens and grab-and-go outlets. SunBun is all set to introduce Kaakeh, a popular street food in Lebanon to the Maximum City. This ring-shaped bread has a different texture than your usual pita bread and is covered with sesame seeds.
Choosing Mumbai to introduce Kaakeh
SunBun was launched by a Lebanon-based couple, Nathalie and Zein Soubra to introduce authentic Lebanese food in Mumbai. “My husband and I,” says Nathalie, “have been coming to Mumbai for the past 15 years. We have seen the city grow and seen a lot of opportunities. [Over time], we have also seen the mixture of cultures between Beirut and Mumbai.” The couple also noticed great opportunities during COVID-19 when “everything stopped except the fast-food business.” “We saw this as an opportunity to bring authentic Lebanese food to Mumbai and thus came SunBun.” Zain also adds that Kaakeh, what they call SunBun is a healthier version of bread as well.
Their time spent in Belgium also introduced them to the Indian community and they got a lot of feedback from their Indian friends there. “When they tried the Lebanese food we cooked, they really liked it,” says Zain. “That is why we thought of bringing Lebanese food to Mumbai.”
A bite of Lebanon in Mumbai
Besides a variety of Kaakeh sandwiches, SunBun also has Lebanese bowls, hummus, salads, falafels, and more. From Falafel SunBun, Hummus SunBun, Tandoori Paneer SunBun, Pizza SunBun, Chilli Potato SunBun, and more, they have a wide variety to choose from. These SunBun sandwiches are priced between ₹129 to ₹219. We tried the pizza, tandoori paneer, falafel, and hummus SunBuns. While it did resemble a pita pocket, it was loaded with sauces, and veggies, making it a fun street sandwich to eat on the go. Unlike a pita pocket that gets soggy, the Kaakeh held its shape even when we ate it after three hours. It was much sturdier and the sesame seeds on top gave a nice texture to this Lebanese-style bread.
Photos: SunBun
With SunBun, the duo stuck to their aim to get authentic Lebanese food in Mumbai by including options such as hummus, falafel, labneh, Fattoush, and tabbouleh salad, and their turmeric cake, they admit that they had to come up with some fusion recipes. “We are trying to push the authentic concept but sometimes you also have to answer to your customers,” says Zein. “We don’t want to leave the authentic one so we do one which is authentic and one with the Indian taste because the customer is King,” he adds.
The challenge of bringing authentic Lebanese food to Mumbai
“We opened our cloud kitchen a year ago but it took us time to get the right ingredients,” says Zein. Emphasising the importance of getting the right ingredients, Zein mentions how, with hummus, even if the chickpeas are too hard, it can make a huge difference. “We got all our ingredients in Mumbai but it was very difficult to choose and find the right vendor,” he explains. “Getting the authentic Lebanese taste and the right ingredients for the recipe was challenging,” adds Nathalie. “Even the spices are different,” she starts, “The coriander here is not the same as in Lebanon so it was a bit challenging.”
(from left to right) Nathalie and Zein Soubra. Photos: SunBun
While they managed to source all ingredients in the city, the couple admits that the only ingredient they have to get imported is za’atar. With options such as tandoor paneer, and pizza SunBun, it is evident that they are adapting to the Indian taste as well. “Even with falafel,” says Nathalie, “we are trying to make it spicy but rest we are leaving it as authentic.” She also adds that with the ingredients available, they are trying to match the version they eat in Lebanon. “We are making our tahini at home because it makes a huge difference in the hummus.” She says that while hummus might look easy to make, in reality, it is not that easy. “The kind of chickpea, the kind of sesame, how it is roasted, how much time it is roasted, what you add to the tahini—all impact how the hummus will taste.”
However, Nathalie admits that the turmeric cake here is much better than in Lebanon. “I think it is the quality of the turmeric [that makes the cake taste different],” she explains.
This all-vegetarian food joint will slowly expand its menu and will look into including meat in its menu as well.
