There’s a big center in Mazraat Yachouh, called Au Carrefour. On the lower side of this big center you will find a small a small shop. Clean and simple, 3al Barakeh offers a super varied menu of unique sandwiches like no other. He transformed the known Markouk bread into mouthwatering sandwiches – all produced from scratch in his kitchens. You name it from labneh, zaatar, kaftan, eggs, awarma, tuna, kechek, chocolate, potato, soujok, cheese and more, be prepared to taste the authentic flavors of the village prepared by the man himself.

“Ahla bel chabeb…” Al Khal welcomes me with a smile.

Another explosion shakes Lebanon again creating an overall feeling of sadness and despair – especially that it’s Christmas time and the New Year is just around the corner – a time where people are usually hopeful. The sadness is felt around and I am no exception. I understand and feel the agony, but I am big believer in hope and continuity.

But what saddens me more is how my friends among others are reacting and spreading more negative vibes on social media and more so bashing Lebanon to the work. I understand and yes the situation is frustrating. Everyone wants to leave instead of staying. I for one am staying and I will stay positive. And this is why I got into the car to go and find something new and cheerful in our beloved country, knowing that the country is filled with strong and hardworking people who also believe in Lebanon today and tomorrow.

One such believer and hard worker is Nicolas Vulgarides, the chef behind “Tabliers.”

The Rabieh/Mtayleb/Mazraat Yachouh region has been booming in the past couple years with new restaurant franchises, banks, renowned shops as well as small eateries and others have opened. Although the traffic has increased and can be annoying, but I look at it in a positive way. Traffic means work, action, people moving around… it means life is going along smoothly as the area boosts.

Our concern here is of course restaurants and there are quite a few places already opened, offering something new to the area. But what was lacking was a simple French bistro, which offers decent and tasty food. But thankfully, Tabliers, fills this gab, as it recently opened on the Naccach/Mtayleb highway. I was intrigued by the name and how the place is described as “Restaurant et Atelier de Cuisine”.

Accompanied by my friend, Anthony, we went there for lunch on this sad day hoping the chef can help pull our morale up as well as remind us that Lebanon is a great country with amazing people… and amazing talents.

To start with, what I love about this place – something I found out later – is the transformation the place makes between day and night. For lunch, the restaurant is a French bistro with a simple ambiance and placemats on the tables. At night, the place transforms into a more fine-dining facility with a full table setup including white tablecloths and table napkins.

I loved:

• The food is great. Bravo
• The details are up to fine-dining standards

 I would change to improve:

• Fix the spelling mistakes on the menu: Crème brûlé(e), Livre(s) Libanaise(s) and remove the (s) from macaron since the plate offers only one single piece
• Do something about the sounds and echoes in the place

Honestly, today I was surprised. The saying goes, “knise il aribe ma teshfe” and we often believe that we have to do a long distance to enjoy some good food. I am happy to say that I had really good food in a place right next to my house. The food was great on all fronts. The risotto was awesome; the salad was exquisite and the pizza totally superb. As for the desserts, all I can say is that each is simple greatness served on a plate. A French casual bistro with fine dining offerings that’s close to home is a dream come true.

While researching for the article, I visited Applebee’s Lebanon on Facebook. Their page was last updated in April 2013. It seems nobody cares about the brand anymore…

 

What comes to mind when you hear that there’s a place called Central Park. Do we have a park in Lebanon… a far fetched miracle I would say… but one that’s close to the idea could be more feasible to believe. Central Park is not a park per say, but an American/French restaurant that welcomes guests into a haven where you can come and enjoy good food in a great setting, where one surprise meets the next. Let me tell you about my experience at Central Park, a place I was not sure about…

Just when you think you’re giving up on good service and smiling staff in Lebanon a nice surprise hits you. At Central Park and with no exaggeration, you’re welcomed and humbly pampered by staff who are well trained and knowledgeable about the menu, enough to suggest some of their special items.

Good to know if you’re planning to head down to Central Park located on the ground floor of Blueberry Square on Dbayeh Highway:

• Expect to experience a French American bistro
• That opens for lunch and dinner
• Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays
• Monday is Healthy day where a nutritionist will be present to talk about health and food related issues with customers. A large section of the menu is dedicated to that matter
• Tuesday is Organic Day where a specialist from “Live Organic” will be there to explain more about the benefits of organic food to customers – a variety of organic preparations will fill the bar
• Wednesday is cheese and wine (50,000L.L) where the in-house French sommelier will be present
• Thursday is Jazz nights with a live band playing soothing tunes
• Friday is seafood night: Fresh arrival by plane every morning will cover the bar (60,000L.L)

And that’s not all. What I think is interesting about this place is the fact that they are establishing themselves as a unique concept in Lebanon. I think this is what this country needs and not just another copy-paste idea… Some forgotten dishes are being reintroduced to clients. Things like Bouillabaisse and Pot au Feu – rustic and provincial dishes that not many make today. I was happy to learn that their chef, Elie Hannouch, previously worked at Cavalli Caffe Dubai and I like their food… So of course, I got all excited…

Central Park sells at retail prices a lot of products from organic food, wine, cigars, tea and the variety is huge. They even have a tea collection from Fortnum & Mason. The best part though is that they have their own wine bottles which are sold for 28,000LL as well as their own beer brand that they make in their own Micro brewery including three kinds – blond, red devil and black. They are made using ingredients imported from Germany and Czech Republic and apparently these beers ferment in the bottles.

As I walked into this spacious restaurant with its unique terrace, my eyes wandered around different corners admiring the details that surround this place.

The place:

• The restaurant is divided into two main sections; a terrace and a large inner dining space
• Outside, expect to feel like you’re siting in a garden restaurant in the city. Couches from different colors, relaxing green and white chairs, real wood flooring with light wood elegant tables
• Inside is another world… A beautiful space well decorated with colorful sofas, wood tables and a long bar displaying imported products from Europe that can be bought
• Yes, they sell Fortnum and Mason tea, cigars at retail prices and they also have their own wine label, beer label among a wide collection of imported wine brands
• Up a couple of stairs is a private room, perfect for meetings and small intimate family gatherings
• Look to your right, a long ladder is used to reach the upper shelves
• The walls are covered with white and black wood panels
• You can’t miss the long salad and fruit bar changed depending in the day’s theme
• Going up to the restrooms interesting sign boards decorate the wall
• Everything is neat and well defined
• If you look at the counter space, you will feel like you’re at a farmers market – a modern more organized one
• Modern type lights pend from different parts of the ceiling give the place the right lighting shades

The menu is divided into four sections each labeled with a different color:

• Lunch and dinner (Appetizers, Starters, Cold cuts, Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Express formula, Pasta corner, Seasonal, Main courses, Cheese, Kids corner)
• Healthy menu (appetizers, salads, sandwiches, main platter, detox vegetable fruit, dessert)
• Desserts, premium ice cream
• Beverages (coffee, tea, infusions, ice tea, cold, fresh juices, smoothies and shakes, spirits)

Let me introduce you to the Central Park Beer:

• The Blond: A light but rich beer filled with aromas and flavors. You’ll feel a lemony aftertaste, 5% alcohol. A world away from the typical tasteless Industrial beers, an interesting blonde ale. With its bloating free complexity due to the absence of corn and its fruity aroma, we indulge you in a slightly challenging but still quite easy to drink experience. Delicious!
• The Red Devil is more fruity and has interesting touch of taste to it,  5% alcohol. This is a Spritzy, creamy Handcrafted corn free beer with light aromas of clove and banana made from a mixed mash of wheat and barley malts, but unlike others, it also contains a large array of lightly caramelized malts that give both its color and complexity. The Red Devil Ale has all the characteristic and differentiated flavors of a sophisticated Wheat Ale.
• Dark Beer: I liked this one a lot. A connoisseur beer with a superb taste. 4% alcohol. The blackness of this sacrosanct Ale lightens our hearts! Its bitterness hits our sweet spot and the absence of corn makes our experience memorable! A fantastic taste of roasted malt gently embraced by the sweetness of Licorice.

Lunch started with a basket of bread served warm with a tapenade on the side. A large variety of bread selection is served. From herbs, sun dried tomato, brown and baguette… The bread is warm and tasty. I honestly tried to taste the tapenade but its garlic smell is over than I could handle.

I tried today:

• Central Park Salad: This plate is beautifully decorated with colorful flowers just like they do in fine dining places. A tasty salad lightly seasoned with lemon and olive oil and filled with rich ingredients like avocado, tomato confit and red fruits. Simple and clear and most importantly the chicken is not dry.

• Marinated Scallops with Chives in Mornay Sauce: Served in their shell, this plate is rich and innovative with great juicy ingredients. You feel the flavors and creaminess that’s light. The scallops are cooked in Béchamel sauce with added shredded cheese cocktail. The mix is served with baked potatoes and steamed vegetables on the side. The vegetables are very good as well. I loved the freshness, crunchiness and seasoning

• Bruschetta Original Greek Fetta: Since Central Park’s bread is very good, succeeding in a plate like this is a must. Five slices of white baguette covered with tomato cubes topped with Parmesan. Simple and tasty. I ordered mine without garlic, but for those who like garlic, the smell will tickle your taste buds before you even try it

• C-Park Gourmet Burger: Uniquely presented in a tower of bread but unfortunately not something I’ll order again. Since the bun divided into three levels, the meat is placed between the first and second one from the bottom. The top and third part is just for decoration. To start with, the middle bread part is not necessary; since it doesn’t have an envelop, it is soaked with sauces which then chews unpleasantly and falls into pieces while the lower bun has an unpleasant cold touch compared to the meat. The fries served with it were undercooked and the meat although acceptable, there was nothing special about it. Tasting the salad to have an idea, I discovered an unpleasant overdose of mayonnaise. The burger is a big NO

• Rib Eye Entrecôte: The meat is served on a wood platter in its own grilling plate with steamed vegetables and potatoes. Although served over cooked the meat is perfect. The pepper and mushroom sauces mixed with truffle oil and spices are up to a fine dining restaurant quality. Maybe you should consider ordering it “rare” so you eat it “medium” since it continues cooking on its metallic support

I thought that I could leave after eating all of the above, but the manager looked at me with a smile and insisted on offering me dessert. I have to tell you a small story here and I promise you it’s true. Seeing a premium service, a smiling staff and a complementary dessert, I thought to myself: “those guys know who I am”. While visiting our table, I asked the manager: “Why are you taking that good care of us?”

He smiled and with confidence he replied, “You can be our brand ambassadors, I believe in the word of mouth.”

Yes, believe me that he didn’t know who I was. We still do have professionals in this country…

Let’s have some desserts:

• Ice cream: I was served two scoops, each in a unique glass cup where the colors appear beautifully and make you mouth water. The toffee, coffee, caramel is simply breathtaking! The coffee strength is magnificent. On another hand, the Caramel fleur de sel is a but sweeter and really superb

• Chocolate Fondant: Valrhona is unique. It has an interesting amaretto aftertaste that activates all your taste buds.

• Creme Brûlée Tart: This is special or different to say the least. Don’t compare it to the normal creme brûlée to enjoy it – crunchy biscuit dough with cream filling topped with a sugar icing.

The things I liked:

• I was amazed to discover Central Park’s beers, their innovation and flavors
• The place is really fresh; I think the photos talk for themselves
• The menu choices and plates presentation are up to the standard of a fine dining restaurant

I was positively impressed by this place. I will be coming back for more beer, more wine… and of course more food.

This country is amazing. New places open daily and the best part is that these places are introducing some new concepts in town. Chocolicious, recently opened in Blueberry Square, is one such places. What is it? Do they only serve chocolate? Intrigued as always, I grabbed my cousin, and went down to find out what lies behind the sweet name.

Al Mandaloun is a place I love. I often come here for their signature ice creams or spend time with my family on Sundays or come with friends for dinner. And now they have introduced new items to the menu including Steak-Frites. You won’t miss it, as the item is mentioned in the blue section on the menu with a reminder on the table banners they have with “Notre nouvelle spécialité” written on it.

Al Mandaloun cafe, which I already reviewed more than once, venting its professionalism and food taste is still maintaining a high standard from breakfast to dinner.

Steak frites façon café (Bœuf Australien Prime, sauce Al Mandaloun Cafe)

After dinner, what else than the one-and-only chocolate ice cream, known in Lebanon as “Merry Cream”. Mmmm… If you didn’t have one of those yet, know that you’re missing a lot. Served in a glass bowl and decorated with three fresh crunching cones, the ice cream is a favorite during summer and winter times. I love its real chocolate flavor and low sugar levels.

A pleasant night that I’ll be repeating soon…

At times it gets a bit overwhelming to think of a restaurant to dine. It’s not as easy as one would imagine especially that there are so many new places and so many new cuisines out there. Some are good while others are mediocre. Some places are tasty while others leave you disappointed. When you’re hungry, going back to some of your old time favorites is the best and most comforting choice… 

Roadster has had its share of ups and downs lately. This became more apparent after NGNO’s second Crepaway vs Roadster comparison, where results showed dismay in some parts.

After positively reviewing Deek Duke and Zaatar W Zeit a few weeks ago, I decided to check on this fine American diner and what it has to offer.

Heading down to City Mall on a calm Monday, my wife and I went for Roadster’s newly launched fries as well as the famous classics.

After opening their smoking balcony, Roadster’s in City Mall now looks and feels bigger and wider. Built around the same theme where the colorful ceiling, the orange walls and the decorative posters welcome you into a real American ambiance.

• At the entrance, be welcomed by blue small chairs followed by white and red leather sofas with hand support in the middle
• Walls are all painted in orange and decorated with sod panels. The ceiling is painted in orange and decorated with a centered colorful glass box
• Black and white benches follow the restaurant, separated from the walls with a thick wood protection
• In front of a brick wall filled with alcohol bottles is a long bar and high red stools
• American diner style, items decorate all the walls
• No smoking is allowed inside while a new terrace welcomes smokers

My wife went for the club sandwich. I’ll tell you something about her: She is usually over picky when it comes to the smell and flavor of chicken. She has been avoiding Roadster’s chicken for the last couple of years especially because it had a strong odor of non-freshness (Zankha). And in our last Crepaway vs Roadster comparison the quality of chicken was mediocre.

But today’s club sandwich was something else, as if it was made by another restaurant. A perfect sandwich filled with fresh crunchy vegetables, the right amount of mayonnaise and most importantly very good chicken. All of this inside two slices of thin bread that’s fresh and doesn’t overtake the taste of ingredients.

But in my opinion, the overall sandwich is a bit too dry. It looks and feels dry. A hint of moisture is needed for it to melt under your teeth in style. I don’t mean more mayonnaise, but more juiciness.

Just imagine, in case you’re not acquainted yet with the Marble Pie: A cake-like shaped ice cream covered in premium caramel and decorated with chocolate sauce. A signature mix of vanilla and chocolate ice cream embracing chunks of condensed brownies over a layer of rich biscuit is just to die for. This mouthwatering dessert deserves an award.

Good service, attentive staff, tasty food is what you can expect from one of Lebanon’s best diners. We enjoyed a quick lunch and went back to work feeling good.

Last Sunday, my friends and I decided to meet up to chat and puff on some cigars. ABC Dbayeh’s open terrace was the perfect choice in this summer-like weather Lebanon has been witnessing during the month of January.

Since my last visit, which was unimpressive, to Cafe de Flore, February 2013, we agreed on trying its breakfast and check on any developments that has happened in this cafe. We arrived at 11am, to find some people already eating, drinking and reading the newspaper. We sat and ordered breakfast.

In the French capital, the famous Cafe de Flore is one of the main touristic destinations many search for. Located on the corner of Boulevard Saint-Germain and Rue St. Benoit, on the 6th arrondissement, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious coffee houses in Paris, celebrated for its famous clientele. Like its main rival, Les Deux Magots, it has hosted most of the French intellectuals during the post-war years. The classic Art Deco interior of all red seating, mahogany wood and mirrors has changed a little since World War II.

Cafe de Flore’s Lebanon’s counterpart is a copy-paste of the French brasserie. It’s catchy and beautifully decorated set up calls on you to stop by. Whether you want coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages, lunch or dinner, Cafe de Flore seems to be a interesting location to stop by! Red and green chairs, marble floor, metallic tables and a typical french ambiance is soothing on a Sunday morning.

The morning menu:

• Petit Dejeuner Flore (22,500L.L)
• Petit Dejeuner Continental (16,500L.L)
• Eggs (9 choices)
• Croissant
• Brioche
• Pain au chocolat
• Pain aux raisins
• Toasts
• Tartine beurre
• Confiture
• Miel

We ordered:

• Pain au chocolat (Known to be a chocolate croissant in Lebanon) 4,500L.L: This chocolate croissant is the simple unsophisticated one found at all bakeries in town. It contains two fingers of chocolate in large piece of square bread. I was expecting to enjoy something warm, airy and crunchy but unfortunately this croissant has nothing special.

• Cheese Croissant: This croissant looks nice and tastes fine but it is not great. There’s nothing extraordinary about it

• Eggs with cheese and ham 14,000L.L: On a round plate and served with a lettuce salad, a lunar shaped omelette offers a tasty mix of eggs, ham and cheese. Yum! Eating these eggs made me forget about the average croissants. A moist, adequately cooked blend of eggs with slices of ham and melted cheese. A non oily preparation that’s tasty despite its average presentation

• Flore’s breakfast (Bread basket, butter, jam, eggs, orange juice, tea or coffee): I appreciated the quality of the jam served in closed containers by St.Dalfour, a generous basket of bread, freshly squeezed glass of orange and a cappuccino, served with omelette. All was good but I would personally decorate the eggs differently, or at least decorate them.

This morning’s breakfast was good, simple and unsophisticated but not unique. The ambiance and general feel of the place will makes you want to come back.

I enjoyed some little details that constitute the place:

• The service is good. Definitely better than last year
• The famous Peugeot, salt and pepper mills
• Branded plates with Cafe de Flore’s logo
• Clean Paper place mats
• Nice personalized tables the French way surrounded by green and red chairs; a relaxing ambiance

I’m not sure if the lunch would be better than last year’s, but I can safely say that if you’re considering a nice breakfast in a soothing ambiance, Cafe De Flore can be considered, specially on an early sunday morning.

The last time I tried Batchig was just a few weeks ago, and since then I have been counting the minutes to come back to this place again. I have been reliving the flavors and tastes of their various dishes – as you can tell, I seriously love this restaurant. I was so excited to introduce Batchig to my friends… 

Choose to sit on the ground floor facing the oven and Armenian salad bar, the upper smoking floor or the terrace. We were warmly welcomed and guided to our table, the square one under the mandaloun, surrounded by glass facades and lit by a middle chandelier pending from above. Since my wife and I arrived before the others, we were offered a selection from the salad bar to prepare our taste buds. Quail eggs and basterma, Fish taken, Mouhammara, Artichoke hearts, Hindbe and sele2 salad. Dip in some toasted bread and enjoy. We took a moment to look into the little details constituting this space, a place I enjoy each and every visit.

The Details of Architecture:

• A long corridor leads you to a very high open space perfectly lit by daylight accessing from the glass rooftop
• Facing the entrance, stainless steel covered wood oven handles a large portion of the menu
• The floor, poured with polished concrete. This new age material adds a hint of modernism
• A general white ambiance relaxes your senses
• White walls and gypsum white ceiling highlight the colorful furniture underneath
• Dozens of design porcelain plates decorate the walls
• The claustra add an oriental feel to the place and connects the architecture to its surrounding
• Two floors to choose from, depending on your mood are open one on the other
• One of the walls on the upper floor is covered with a beautiful wallpaper filled with little flowers
• Two individual spaces inside, host large tables for intimate groups
• The three arcades, signature design of Mayrig, are reproduced in a modernized way
• Uncountable design ideas and materials all blend in perfectly together without making the space look like an art gallery
• On the upper floor, a single glass chandelier is the main art piece decorating the space

My favorite design item: Playing on the art of light and shadows, the metallic sieve like wall scones reflect beautiful art work on the walls while adding warmth to the ambiance.

Discovering the little details that make this space will just mesmerize you:

• All the colors of the rainbow are represented inside this space (violet, yellow, green, brown, grey, black, pink, red, orange…) have their moment to shine in different parts of the setup… whether the couches, the pillows, the chairs…
• Each and every area has unique designed chairs and tables without making the space look crowded Inside, yellow wooden carved tables accompany a couple of marble ones
• On the upper floor, chairs are fabricated with four different kinds of wood and covered with violet fabrics
• Colorful, passionate and funky, the terrace transports you way far from the city’s chaos
• Sofas or chairs, the choices are plenty depending on your mood
• The lace like round pieces placed under the table plants are amazingly unique giving an authentic feel of the past

The “Pre-Opening” Menu: Come on! Still in the pre-opening phase since June?

• The salads (5 items)
• The delights (wide selection of traditional dishes in olive oil and fresh “greens” salad bar Batchig’s starters to share (28 items)
• The pots (5 items)
• The mains (12 items)
• The oven corner (9 items)
• The desserts (14 items)

Let’s indulge in this fine sophisticated food: Armenian, Levantine it is, indeed…

• Batchig Sticks: Fried, long and twisted rolls, simply awesome. Enjoy fried rolls without feeling the oil. Filled with premium ingredients, every roll is generously filled. There are five types: chanklish, labneh and olives, zaatar, cheese, and cheese and basterma. Resist the temptation to eat them when they’re hot, as the core oozes with intensity and will likely sear tongue and palate.

• Itch is Armenian tabbouleh, and this is one salad you don’t want to skip! It’s heavy on tomato and bulgur, and parsley is merely an afterthought, contrary to the Lebanese version. On its own, itch can constitute a meal, especially if you scoop it with the cabbage

• The fishna:—which means cherry in Armenian—was hands down one of the best dishes. Call it the pièce de resistance, or the Armenian form of fatteh, this combination of kebab balls, crispy pita squares, plain yogurt, and sour cherry couli was absolutely divine. Even those who are not usually fans of savory and sweet will melt at the delicious intermingling of these tastes. The meat, the laban, the sweetness, the cherries, the baked bread. Simply wow! The ingredients are perfectly mixed, yet every ingredient is richly felt. Light and soft meat without a borghol taste, fresh laban and a hint of sweetness only, added by the cherries.

• Mante:—little pockets of dough stuffed with minced meat—were also impeccably crafted. My favorite Armenian plate now enjoyable at a very reasonable price. The stainless steel tray comes carrying small meat dumplings in a round stainless pan, a small jug of laban, and a small jug of tomato sauce and a small plate of sumac. The waiter will ask your permission to prepare it.  Warm tomato juice is poured over the mante and then plain yogurt is slathered on top, followed by a drizzle of sumac. Eat this fast before the meat becomes soaked in the mixture. This dish is enjoyed with that crunchiness. Plunge in and enjoy the different flavors and consistencies

• Kebab Laban: Juicy kebab bowls topped with laban, grilled almonds, fried bread and tomato sauce. Sweetness, crunchiness and richness combined. I could eat one of my favorite dishes for dinner alone.

• Mouhammara: The principal ingredients are fresh or dried peppers, ground walnuts, breadcrumbs, and olive oil. Every ingredient is richly felt and enjoyed. Tasty indeed

• Hommos Batchig: Hummus with a special mix of lentils. The perfect hummus with an exquisite mix in the middle. A must try

No meal is complete without dessert:

• Mount Ararat: features four scoops of ice cream—marzipan, almond, pistachio, and rose water—stacked high with Lebanese cotton candy, or ghazel el banet. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect end to the feast.

• Tahinov Hats: Freshly baked cinnamon & tahini roll with vanilla ice cream. Not one of my favorites. Too much bread for a dessert

• Pain Perdu-’ian’: Home made Madeleine cakes with rose flavored lokums fitted inside served with hot sahlab and cinnamon. The lokums melt in contact of the warm sahlab that gets absorbed by the round cakes making them spongy and wet. A pain perdu that has nothing to do with the ones you’ve tried before, trust me.

• Lokoum Pie: A crunchy dough holding a thin layer of fresh achta covered with pink lokum gelée giving this cake its required sweetness. So heavenly, this cake deserves an award.

• Cheese Maamoul: Mmmm… Now you can order these unique creations at the Batchig shop. Frozen and ready for home use. Just add some sugar syrup and enjoy. A fresh crunchy dough generously filled with cheese. A neutral taste that can be sweetened personally according to everyone’s taste

Everything was good: The welcoming the service, the generosity and food quality which was consistent all over. Drinks ordered were delivered within minutes and the dishes were fresh, tasty and hot.

The pluses:

• Waiters are very professional, always smiling and enjoying their job
• Choose between Pepsi or Coca-Cola
• All ingredients used in the different dishes were perfectly cooked
• The plates presentation is appetizing and mouthwatering

The little details I fell in love with:

• Batchig’s logo, the pink pomegranate is just so classy
• The Churchill printed plates imported from England are so beautiful, pieces of art in front of every customer
• Dishes are generous and filled to top
• The prices are affordable without any surprises on the bill
• Food is served in old style aluminum oven trays
• The place mats showing the Ararat mountains are decorated with pink dots which remind you of the logo
• The waiters each have nice name tags, while wearing white shirts and beige pants. The classy logo is stitched on their collars and pants
• Waiters are attentive and changes plates often
• Soft drinks glasses are the normal long ones, as for water, it is served in thick designed glasses; the old fashioned way

Another visit to Batchig, same taste and flavor as experienced each time I go there. I would definitely recommend Batchig to all my friends who want to enjoy a tasty and affordable dinner with a twist…

Review written in collaboration with Danielle (Beirutista Blog)

Batchig: A Truly First-Rate Family-Style Restaurant that Boasts Excellent Food

We, residents of the upper Metn region have been waiting for a coffee place to open in our area. With such a booming economy in the villages of Rabieh, Mtayleb, Mazraat Yachouh and Kornet Chehwan where more than 17 banks have opened recently, Burger King, Pizza Hut and three Sushi restaurants to date, along businesses known in the country. A national renowned name was eagerly awaited to transform the area into a self sufficient one.

Before Lina’s opened its doors, organizing a gathering with friends for coffee, puffing a cigar puff or having a quick lunch in a nice setting was not possible unless you go down to Anetlias and Dbayeh where a number of coffee houses are available.

Lina’s, which opened recently alongside Wooden Bakery on Rabieh’s internal road, welcomes you for breakfast, lunch and dinner, everyday and all week. More than just a sandwich restaurant, Lina’s has given fast food a touch of elegance and style.

This restaurant/cafe, with its warm and welcoming décor, is a venue where business people, students and shoppers share a relaxing moment while enjoying their favorite Lina’s meal made from its exclusive recipes and fresh ingredients. Lina’s is now a well-established name with over sixty restaurants open worldwide. It has fashioned an innovative approach to fast food whereby the meals are based on original and exclusive ingredients of recipes and that are prepared in a hygienic setting in front of the customer.

In Lebanon you can find Lina’s in Downtown Beirut, ABC Dbayeh, ABC Ashrafieh, Hamra, Kaslik, City Mall, Verdun, Le Mall – Sin El Fil, Jal El Dib, Rabieh and Zaytouna Bay.

The place’s little secrets:

• Lina’s is a coffee shop that’s longer than wide
• The left wall is painted in white and decorated with wood panels, a TV screen and the bar
• The right side is filled with high glass facades with a view on the valley and the outside terrace
• The floor is covered with light wood parquet
• Around square tables of dark wood, the Lina’s signature sofas have three different colors: Orange, violet and beige
• At the end of the restaurant, to the left, a bar displays some alcohol bottles and the menu. A fridge shows the fresh ingredients that will fill your sandwiches

Meeting a friend for an afternoon coffee, we decided to give Lina’s desserts a try… and I’m glad we did so.

Our choice included the “Brioche aux Amandes” and “Gateau Citron”, two delicious creations that are different from the average commercial cakes you eat around the country. A thick and large almond brioche is moist on the inside and topped with grilled almonds and powdered sugar. A spongy and juicy dough that melts under your teeth in style while the topping crunches smoothly to add finesse and flavoring. Wow! I simply loved it.

The lemon cake on another hand, has a special touch as well. A thick piece of English cake style pastry that will make your mouth water just by looking at its presentation. Bits of red fruits baked within the mixture richly cover the rich dough below. Expect to enjoy an intense lemon flavor. The plate is decorated with raspberry couli.

To accompany these pieces, what else than Lina’s signature frozen lemonade. Choose between the green and the red one, each provides a different feel. I prefer the green one that’s more of a lemonade with its intense taste. The red has a sweeter touch and blends less with ice; juice and ice stay separated making the drink finish in seconds.

If you live in the area and want to indulge in a simple coffee next to home, Lina’s is now open.

The pluses:

• Everything I had was pure. Pure and rich flavors which I enjoyed without soy sauce.
• The rice used is exceptional
• The prices are affordable and reasonable

The minuses: 

• I think that the restaurant is overstaffed: They all stand and stare at you while you eat in peace. It’s uncomfortable to say the least

I personally loved and enjoyed my experience at Tsunami. We paid $55 per person and left fulfilled with joy and enjoyable ingredients. I will be trying the Achrafieh and Kaslik branches soon to make sure all locations serve the same premium quality and tasty food.

I was the only blogger invited to have a closer look into La Cigale’s new set up. Together with a group of journalists, we were welcomed into La Cigale’s kitchen to experience one of Lebanon’s first unique pastry and delicatessen spot…

La Cigale, located on Zalka highway heading towards the North, is one of the first place to venture into the pastry and delicatessen haven when hundreds of pastry shops available today, haven’t seen the light yet. La Cigale is know by many as a charcuterie, fromagerie, wine cellar, ice cream parlor, chocolatier and a hotel.

With a new management and fresh younger touch, La Cigale is making a comeback and I do believe it’s working. I have posted two reviews already on some of their products and both were positive. La Cigale won the cronut round on NGNO: A Tasty Cronut in town as well as the best Galette in town: A favorite Galette des Rois…

I believe more is yet to come.

Innovation at La Cigale is on the roll. They have recently opened a sushi counter, an ice cream section, a live cooking station, as well as saj and grill stations. These additions only prove La Cigale’s steadfastness to constantly originate new concepts to keep up with the modern requirements of its guests and visitors.

I’ll leave you with these photos of the busy kitchen and latest innovations.

A Premiere in Town: A Lebanese Restaurant’s Tasty Breakfast

Al Balad Dbayeh: Try their Set Menu

Al Balad: Blueberry Square’s Lebanese Restaurant