I was back to Krikor Orian sooner than planned, this little tiny heavenly gem located in Baskinta. Before reaching Baskinta, you’ll find a small petrol station, which used to be called Ezz el Din. Stop there and walk down the stairs to Krikor, this hole in the wall.
Krikor welcomes you into his unique bakery where he personally prepares the dough, rolls it and takes care of it with no machine to help.
I met Krikor in winter and left amazed by his unique creations including his Kawarma, cheese, eggs, butter and cow fat mankoushe… a bite the country has talked about for the last year.
To the sound of chirping birds, I walked down the stairs to Krikor. Calmness takes over the mountain, wind caresses the trees and Krikor sitting in his little hole in the wall under the low ceiling takes care of his oven a log at a time. Even the oven is special, created to host gas on one side and wood on the other giving off a smooth flame that cooks inside out, while offering a crunchy envelop.
Fifty-four long years of experience where Krikor mastered the art of breakfast. Fifty-four years of artisanal work to create a rare jewel not many know how to master.
Breakfast started by a homemade Laban drink followed by Hommaida fatayer while the big thing is prepared.
This is what you should come here for! The ‘famous bomb’ is what I like to call it: imagine a thick layer of toasted dough, homemade and handmade by Krikor since the early hours of the morning.
At 3am, the dough is prepared and ready to enter the oven as the client asks for it. A layer of kashkawan cheese lies under the Kawarma meat. Beef meet with lamb fat while preparing another layer of cheese. Kashkawan, mozzarella and local cheese all together freshly shredded, two eggs and more cheese… Baked for seven long minutes on low fire before taking it out of the oven to add the final touches of taste and shine and that's the fat.
A bomb and surely not your average sandwich. This is breakfast, lunch and dinner combined. A firm and lightly chewy dough with a crunchy bottom topped with a moist and melting egg and cheese, shining beautifully, exploding heavenly inside your mouth to activate all your senses in a glance. Pure orgasm.
If asked about the calories this wrap has, Krikor answers that it's not his problem; his duty is to create something tasty and not care about calories. I'll visit Krikor soon if I were you.
Krikor is surely one person you should meet before in this lifetime.
Baskinta, Metn | 04-280293 | 03-757655
