Sawa’s Slope

SAMAYA BOUERI ZIADE, Sawa

CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine

SAMAYA BOUERI ZIADE • chef/co-owner • Sawa
Neighborhood you live in: Park Slope

It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
We have a Friday morning routine where the kids make it out to Blue Sky Bakery for muffins. We’ve enjoyed their muffins for years. Lots of creative flavors and fillings. 

After the kids are off the school, I try to squeeze in a quick workout. I’m really lucky that my restaurant, Sawa, is a short walk away, so it gives me some flexibility. After workout, crisped egg whites with za'atar fuel me for much of the day. Then it’s off to Sawa. 

We’re a new restaurant, so the routine is still not 100% set. I usually check in with the team on how the weekend prep is going and try to work on new seasonal menu items. One of the most enjoyable parts of my day is trying new recipes and dishes. I meet with our chef de cuisine and team to experiment with different ideas and flavors that venture out (but stay loyal to Lebanese cuisine and culture). 

We’re also getting close to opening our outdoor space, so (my brother and business partner) George and I meet to make some logistical decisions, and play around with the layout. 

Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
I’m Lebanese, which means we love a drink with small plates. We enjoy the casual, social gathering. A little loud, but not too loud. In Park Slope, Haenyeo is lots of fun. Great cocktails and tasty small plates. Rucola, in Boerum Hill, is also a favorite of ours for a casual lunch or dinner. For great cocktails, we enjoy Honeycomb (across the street from Sawa) and Bar Goto on Bergen Street, right off Flatbush. 

This past Sunday, we tried El Cedro, a new Lebanese taqueria on Atlantic Avenue. It’s relaxed, charming, and the food has a lovely street food vibe. We also met Maher, the Lebanese chef and co-owner, who was a joy to talk to. 

How about a little leisure or culture?
We’re 10 minutes away from BAM. We’ve been members for years and enjoy the wide array of cultural and international films and performances there. We always look forward to the Arab Cinema Festival every year. We recently took the kids to the Dance Africa Festival and an Alvin Ailey performance. 

Any weekend getaways?
We love to make it Upstate. Hudson is a favorite destination for us. We get there and then drift either west over the Hudson River into the Catskills or east towards Ghent and Chatham. Some of the spots we love include The Aviary in Kinderhook and Feast and Floret in Hudson. 

Another Upstate favorite is Ten Barn Farm for breakfast. The kids get to play with farm animals over brunch. We also do our grocery shopping for the week at the Hudson Farmers Market and get our meat from Kinderhook Farm. 

What was your last great vacation?
Lebanon! Our trip last year took us to various corners of the country. There is so much diversity and rich culture there — from food to fashion to architecture. We enjoyed one of the Tawlet locations. Tawlet is a restaurant group that kickstarted the preservation movement of culinary heritage in Lebanon. They have restaurants throughout Lebanon. Women from that specific locale showcase the dishes of that particular region. The experience is like going to someone’s house for a long Sunday lunch. They also have a farmer’s market every Saturday where farmers from every corner of the country sell their produce, preserves and home goods. 

What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
Hummus machine! People love the hummus and to get to that magical creamy texture, you need serious machinery. 

What store or service do you always recommend?
The Primary Essentials on Atlantic Avenue has an amazing selection of home decor and gifts.