Ehnaini cakes, burgers made with traditional Bahraini kebabs, and fries made with ancient aromatic spices are only some of the dishes you can enjoy at the Baiz coffee shop and restaurant in Alkhobar. Everything in the restaurant, from its name (Baiz is an old local term meaning a piece of cloth used to clean surfaces) to the dishes on the menu and the antique interior design uniquely blended with modernity, end up giving a feel of the traditions of the Eastern Province.
Eman Al-Bagawi is the co-founder of the restaurant together with her cousin Fai Al-Shammari. She is a marketing graduate whose study has helped her market her project, especially through Instagram and Twitter. She then attended a workshop about how to run small business in Prince Sultan Fund for Women Development. When she submitted her final assignment, which was the feasibility study of Baiz, she never imagined that her assignment would be accepted. “I was and still am thrilled at the legal and financial support the fund has provided us with. Their continued funding and care helped ease lots of obstacles I would have faced without them,” she said.
Commenting on why she chose tradition as a theme for Baiz, Al-Bagawi said: “Nowadays, most coffee shops are using luxurious and Victorian themed interiors. We thought our heritage is rich enough that we don’t need to borrow from outside. Everything in Baiz is made locally, except for the chairs which were brought from Kuwait.”
“The menu is a collective work by me and members of my family. Our dishes are a modernized version of old dishes, such as Um Fatima burgers, which are made with Bahraini kebabs. The names of the dishes are a bit bizarre too. Each dish is called after the person who helped invent the dish. When my sister-in-law innovated a special soup, we called the soup “Our sister-in-law soup.” The soup today is much in demand. I believe using unusual names for dishes is a kind of marketing. It has proved to be a success already. We do have a “special of the day” dish, which is prepared and cooked by a Saudi female chef. People get attracted to try dishes they never tasted before, especially for breakfast in which we serve different kinds of bread, stews, Tahinia and local sweets.”
Regarding the challenges facing her as a female entrepreneur, Al-Bagawi said: "There is a shortage of staff in the restaurant due to the difficulty of getting new visas. Also, the municipality has requested certain changes in the construction. Now after we finished with the kitchen window, a supervisor from the municipality visited us again and asked us to enlarge it. As an owner, such obstacles can be discouraging to anyone. However, any Saudi female who wants to run her own business should be strong and have good debating and convincing skills. Being one myself, I hope that these issues will be solved soon.”
The restaurant receives a variety of customers. “Though the restaurant has been open for less than three months, we are receiving a lot of customers, especially for breakfast. Our customers vary in age. Many young girls love to treat their grandparents at Baiz. I receive positive feedback from the elderly most of the time. They say Baiz reminds them of the old beautiful days. Also, foreigners are keen to visit us to learn more about our culture and tradition through food.”
"Many people discouraged me from starting my own business. They thought that the market is masculine, and that it is always better to be settled in a secure job with a monthly salary. I never lent an ear to those. Now, those people have become my best customers”
Talking about her future plans, Al-Bagawi said: "Once we get visa approvals and receive more workers, the number of tables served will increase. We will also start catering for large gatherings and weddings.”
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