Manakeesh’s exclusive Ramadan dessert are fried stuffed pancakes

At noon, many Philly restaurants bustle with diners venturing in for lunch. During Ramadan, the only sounds at Manakeesh Cafe Bakery & Grill, a Lebanese restaurant in West Philly, are from the kitchen, where Rabab Mohamed begins her day making qatayif for the Muslims who arrive after the sun sets, when the daily fast ends.

Traditionally, the semolina-based pancakes are stuffed with sweet cream and sealed halfway, similar to a cannoli, then drizzled with rose syrup and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. At Manakeesh, they are sealed shut and fried to order.

» READ MORE: Where to break your Ramadan fast around Philadelphia

Manakeesh offers qatayif only during the month of Ramadan, selling dozens of orders per day, with people driving in from as far as King of Prussia and New Jersey to this bustling restaurant.

“I love it when somebody gives me a nice review,” Mohamed says. “When they say, ‘Oh, it’s delicious,’ my heart goes boom, boom, boom.”

Manakeesh’s qatayif is inspired by the ones the Chatila family, who own and operate the restaurant, grew up with in Beirut, Lebanon, where the dessert is typically made throughout Ramadan. “Qatayif are one of those desserts that gives you that nice sugar rush to give you the energy to keep going so you’re ready for the next day,” says Adam Chatila, the general manager.

Qatayif is a Ramadan tradition in many countries of the Arab world, where sweet shops typically don’t offer it except during the holy month. Manakeesh follows that tradition and operates on reduced hours to allow staff observing the fast to start work later.

Making qatayif while Mohamed fasts is easy — she’s been doing it since she was 12 years old.

“I think Allah gives [me] more power [to do it],” she says.

Mohamed pours several perfect circles of batter measuring about five inches across onto a hot griddle and watches as each speckle with bubbles. Unlike regular pancakes, there’s no flipping involved, giving the dessert its signature look with one side dotted with tiny holes. “It looks like a pancake shop in here for a while — she’s making so many of them,” Chatila says. “It’s a nice vibe that reminds of you of back home.”

Manakeesh typically offers three stuffing options: sweet cream, cheese (a combination of Akkawi or white brine cheese and mozzarella), and walnut. This Ramadan, Chatila decided to add an extra flavor to the list: Dubai chocolate, complete with shredded phyllo and pistachios.

One by one, Mohamed stuffs each pancake, pinching the ends in a rhythmic motion to seal it closed. The stuffed pancakes are fried and tossed in big bowl with a glossy rose syrup “like you do with hot wings,” Chatila explained, as he sprinkled chopped pistachios atop a fresh batch.

“We’re in America, so more people like fried stuff,” he says. There’s “a nice crunch when you bite into it with the gush of that sweet syrup.”

With the Ramadan decorations hung, the smells of the qatayif and other desserts wafting from the bakery add to the holiday spirit inside Manakeesh, beckoning Muslims and non-Muslims alike to venture inside after the sun sets.

For Chatila, serving qatayif at Manakeesh with Israel’s ongoing attacks abroad is a way to stay tethered to the motherland.

“There’s always a touch of sadness that we all have with what’s going on in Palestine and Lebanon, but eating this dessert reminds us of home,” Chatila says. “Sitting down and taking a bite keeps us connected.”