January 27, 2010 -- Mourad Mazouz, founder of London restaurant Momo, is to expand his North African restaurant concept to Beirut. The Algerian-born restaurateur, who is also behind London restaurant Sketch and Derriere in Paris, will open Momo Souk, a 200-cover brasserie in the city's central district in June. It will serve lunch, dinner and light snacks all day with the menu a mixture of classic French, North African and Lebanese dishes. A Mo café/bar will also open alongside the brasserie serving drinks and less formal dishes. The Beirut branch will be Mazouz's first Momo outpost outside of London, although he does also have another two other bar/restaurants in Paris and a restaurant in Dubai.

As part of plans for the business, Mazouz has also appointed David Jones head chef of Momo in London. Jones ran Momo at Selfridges until 2005 and then re-launched Caprice Holdings' Pasha before being approached by Mazouz again in 2008 to run Islington pop-up restaurant The Double Club. The new chef's menu will feature dishes such as Wood Pigeon Pastilla and Seafood K’taiffe – Scallops, King Prawn and crab claw, served with Maghribia couscous and avocado salad. Main courses are presented in three sections; couscous, tagines and chef’s dishes. Next month a new Josper Charcoal oven will be installed at the restaurant and will be the main oven for meat, fish and vegetable dishes, bringing a charcoal flavour to dishes.