Couqley plans GCC expansion

New outlet opens in Dbayeh this April

French bistro Couqley will be opening in Blueberry Square, Dbayeh, by the end of April. The restaurant is brought by The Alleyway Group, the company that manages different eatery concepts such as The Alleyway, Gauche Caviar, The Angry Monkey, and Amarres in Zaitunay Bay. Alexis Couquelet is the Group’s Executive Chef and partner.

The new Couqley outlet will have an indoor space of 160 square meters and a terrace of 40 square meters. Ziad Kamel, CEO and partner at The Alleyway Group, said the investment in the new restaurant reached $650,000. He said: “We have chosen to open in Dbayeh because it is a mainstay that allows us to reach out to the whole Metn region, which is growing fast.” He said the favorable leasing conditions were an additional motivation to open in Blueberry Square.

Despite the current economic slowdown and the stagnant tourism sector, restaurants catering to the local clientele are still doing well, said Kamel: “Restaurants that tackle the mid-market, offering good quality and affordable food, will be able to sustain their operations, and this is exactly what we’ve done so far.”

The Alleyway Group is pursuing an expansion plan abroad as well. “We have plans to open branches in the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar,” said Kamel. The group plans to branch out the Couqley concept first, after which it will follow with other restaurants. “The first international outlet is expected by the end of 2014, but the location is still under planning,” Kamel said.