Italian Project Kitchen & Bar – Broumana

I have tasted Italian Project in its Mar Mikhael location a while ago and I remember I liked it. During the Summer, one looks for a cool breeze to accompany their good meal, so we went up to the eatery’s new location in Broumana. Let me start with the service; it was excellent. From the moment I reserved until the end of our dinner, the staff was the right amount of friendly and professional. The waiters also accommodated my temporary ‘pregnancy-peculiar’ requests with a great attitude, and they were always standing attentively nearby. I enjoyed the atmosphere, especially that since it was still early in the evening, it was not too crowded yet, and yes, toddlers are catered for with high chairs there. I tried two pasta dishes, which were both delicious. The tomato sauce that coated the gnocchi chunks was very well-seasoned that I found myself enjoying the last tasty spoonful even after the gnocchi was gone. As for the creamy sauce in the other pasta platter, it was rich and covered the succulent pieces of chicken with flavor. I will definitely be coming back to taste their other Italian savory and sweet treats!

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Felicie (French Eaterie) – Mar Mikhael

I actually saw the sign of the name of this restaurant being put up from where I was comfortably seated at the neighboring “parlour of sage”. I was excited when I read “French Eaterie” and placed it at the top of my list of new eateries to try out for lunch when it opened. First of all, I would like to point out that we were warmly welcomed and shown to a table, and that our waiter was great. It was very clear that he cared, and he put in so much effort to make sure our order was correct and that we had everything we needed. This was in contrast to the other waiters who looked like they were on a coffee break behind the counter. I would like to also praise the manager who came to our table twice to ensure all is well because they have opened their doors recently, and then asked for my feedback taking into consideration my honest comments gracefully. While we were waiting for our order to arrive, I looked around at the decoration. I liked how the bottles were used for that purpose, as well as how jars and other products were put on display along the length of the wall. My favorite part of the meal was at the very beginning; the bread, butter, and olive tapenade. The bread was warm, the olive spread was tasty, and that ball of butter with herbs was delicious. As a starter, we ordered one of their galettes. It was fine; not out of this world but also not bad either. For my main dish, I ordered a burger–honestly, if I weren’t pregnant with zero immunity, I would have tried something else. I did enjoy the flavor of their candied onions with the meat and cheese, but at a point I encountered an unpleasant chewy chunk within the patty. I also thought that the bun (especially the top part) was too thick and I had to remove it midway through eating the platter. As I previously mentioned, the friendly manager showed interest in what I had to say and seemed dedicated to improving their dishes. I genuinely wish Felicie the best moving forward.

Sofita – Broumana

I love going up to Broumana when Summer comes around, especially for an early dinner because of the cool breeze the evening provides. Situated in the Printania Garden, Sofita is an Italian restaurant with a relaxing environment. As for the food, I did appreciate the creative manner of treating pasta, turning it into a crispy appetizer. It had an interesting taste and a nice crunchy texture to it, but I found it to be a bit heavy as a starter. For my main dish, I ordered the shrimp risotto. I enjoyed the rich and creamy rice, and the grilled shrimp enhanced the flavor of the dish (although they were a bit salty). Also, maybe a few more of the sea creatures embedded within the dish would be great. There was no room for desert this time. However, they did offer us a drink on the house to end the meal. Here, I should add that the waitress was friendly and very dedicated to her job. On the whole, we had a pleasant experience.

Tavolina – Naccache

I recalled that I had been to Tavolina in Mar Mikhael but, weirdly, the only thing in my memory from that experience is the transparent plastic curtain that, in my opinion, took away from the charm of the restaurant—I don’t know if it still exists. Anyway, Tavolina recently opened its doors in a new complex of restaurants called Zero 4 in the Naccache area. I decided to go try it again there, and I was pleasantly surprised. I wondered why I had not remembered that the food was actually good at this eatery. We started off with the Frittura Mista. I have had this platter at several Italian restaurants elsewhere, but it is here that I loved the battered eggplant and zucchini the most. They were sliced thinly and that resulted in the vegetables being less oily and more crispy. Obviously, the battered shrimp were also good, but I wish they weren’t so outnumbered by the calamari. Sometimes I am in the mood for a homey spaghetti bolognese and so I ordered their Spaghetti al Ragu. I fell in love with it. I know it is a simple dish, but so many restaurants get it wrong. I was happy with the “al dente” pasta, as well as the well-seasoned sauce. In addition, the pepper sauce of the Filetto di Bue al Pepe was deliciously thick and creamy. The service was friendly and the waiter readily answered our questions and adjusted food constituents based on my restricted diet (me having to eat for two), such as cooking the steak till it was well done (not how I would usually order it). I will definitely be back to taste more items from their menu!

SUD Restobar – Mar Mikhael

(Special: Sundays Brunch)

After trying SUD’s superb Fondue & Stone Grilling dinner, I was very excited to try out their famous Sundays Brunch at their Mar Mikhael branch. The service was really good as well, and the staff was friendly. There was a live D.J. playing music which was nice, although it was a bit too loud. I liked the high “ceilings”, and from where I was seated, I could look up to see the sky above me. Time to eat! At the place you get your plate and cutlery, you can have fresh juices, cold milk, and hot drinks. When I saw the colorful cereal loops, I had to have some with milk, and I also had a glass of refreshing orange juice. Then, I started off with the croissants, which were flaky and had very tasty stuffing. Their black rice salad and sauce were flavorful, and next to the salads, you can choose from a selection of cheese and hams. From the corner of my eye, I spotted the raclette—who doesn’t love melted cheese, seriously! You also have a live pasta cooking area and a stand where shawarma is ready to be served upon your request. Right next door, is a mankoushe baking section where you get your mankoushe freshly made. I opted for a zaatar and cheese one (better known as the “cocktail”); I liked the dough, but the zaatar was a tad more oily than it should be. Of course breakfast isn’t complete without eggs, and the chef happily prepares your choice of eggs and toppings; I had the sunny side up (which satisfied my constant runny yolk craving). When you can’t possibly eat savory food anymore, you know it is time for sweets. Alongside the dessert buffet, is a big tray of cheese knefe. The desserts include items such as tarts, eclairs, pancakes, fruits, and an array of candy you can place on a stick under cascading melted chocolate from an ongoing fountain. Want even more chocolate? On the side, stands a transparent cylindrical vessel holding thick hot chocolate within it. For me, that decadent hot chocolate was the best thing that I had had for dessert, then came the sort of bread pudding in a tray they had, which was moist and delicious. In general, the brunch offerings covered most of what a rich breakfast should have, but my taste buds were left partially “un-awakened” by some of them.

Micelli’s – Jal el Dib

Micelli’s has a flavorful variety of pizzas, where it is impossible not to satisfy all tastes. The first time we tried their pizza was when we went to the restaurant to take some home with us. We opted for the Porkoi Pa and The American. As we waited for our hot pizzas to descend in the “dumbwaiter” (which is an amusing name for a small elevator used to transfer objects), we met the owners behind this creation. The ambiance is very friendly and you feel like you are standing in the passionate result of dedicated people running a family business. The second time we decided to order pizzas via delivery to the house; it was a bit far so they conceded but with a minimum charge restriction. We chose the Porkoi Pa, Sun Island, The Last Dragon, and Monsieur Croq with tomato sauce. The pizzas arrived with a satisfactory temperature and in good condition. After all the outer layers of description of the circumstances, let us get down to business. How did the pizzas taste? Actually, in the non-Italian pizza category, they fared quite well. Their pizzas are topped with great products, which is key. My favorite, which is obvious since we ordered it twice, is the Porkoi Pa. The hickory smoked barbecue sauce is delicious, and the whole melange of the sauce with the smoked bacon, cheese, green pepper, and onions is well thought of and executed, leading to a well-balanced bite of pizza. The Croq Monsieur with tomato sauce was a safe choice, considering the available selection, yet its simple ingredients shone through. As a pepperoni pizza lover, I would have liked more pepperonis on The American pizza because I felt that the onions and green pepper were slightly overpowering. Maybe I will try The Pepperoni next time. Unfortunately, my least favorite pizzas were the Far East inspired Last Dragon and the mango-pesto Sun Island pizzas. In general, Micelli’s provides a vast selection of flavors, and mostly it comes down to a matter of preference. Something I appreciate is that the cheese and other toppings generously attempt to garnish the whole pizza, all the way right to the crunchy crusty edge, making sure that you leave nothing behind.

 

Bits and Pieces – France

Bits and Pieces IV.

 

Le Nemrod – Paris: More on the traditional side, this French bistro provides platters that satisfy the customer. The food we had was not outstanding though; it did not really trigger a need-to-go-back-there thought in my mind. It does, however, introduce an affair with the fondant, which is habitually wed to vanilla ice cream.

 

Breizh Cafe – Paris: A Breton creperie on the Michelin Guide, it rightfully states that it makes crepes differently: “La crepe autrement”. They use organic buckwheat and stone-milled wheat flour in their recipes to create their signature taste. The ham and cheese crepe was great, and the Japanese influence could be seen in the matcha ice cream. However, the best crepe was undoubtedly the sweet crepe I had; what could be better than vanilla ice cream and Salted Caramel syrup? That is definitely a rhetorical question.

 

Coquelicot – Paris: Do you want fresh bread, French pastry, or maybe breakfast? Well, you can do all three at Coquelicot. At the risk of sounding like an advertisement, I did want to showcase the selection they have. Located in a lovely area in Paris called Montmartre, this patisserie/boulangerie/restaurant, dating back to 1978, was our destination for a wholesome breakfast. I enjoyed the food and sitting outside on the pavement. When we were done with the tea, eggs, salmon, ham, and cheese, I needed to satisfy my sweet tooth with a huge meringue from inside. So, after all the Salted, my Caramel was placed into a paper bag and I nibbled on it as we walked around in the beautiful city of Paris.

 

Le Pain Quotidien – Paris: I have already talked about how I like to go to Le Pain Quotidien anywhere I travel if I am in the mood for a casual setting; Paris was no different. We had a hearty breakfast that enabled us to begin our day energetically.

Le 6 Paul Bert – Paris

Le 6 Paul Bert is a restaurant on the Michelin guide, and rightfully so. At one end it has an eager individual ready to cut through a diverse assortment of hams. While on the other end, one gets familiar with the masterminds behind the concoctions that will be devoured. The chefs are standing in an open kitchen with utter transparency and nothing to hide. I had poultry for my main dish after feasting on its humble beginnings as an ingredient in my salad. The dishes were presented in an appetizing manner and the food was filled with flavor. I enjoyed sitting at the red table in this cozy Parisian restaurant placed on the corner of a street.