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!

Advertisement

SUD Restobar – Naccache

(Special: Fondue & Stone Grilling)

Craving really good thin slices of meat sizzling right in front of your eyes? Do you want to dip your meat, fries, or bread into some bubbling cheesy goodness? At the risk of sounding like an advertisement, if the answer to both of the above is yes, then going to SUD Restobar in Naccache is a great idea. I’m serious. They have launched a new Fondue & Stone Grilling dinner experience that is worth breaking your diet for. It is really delicious. The meat is of great quality and the whole setup is perfect. For $35, they provide you with as many refills as you want. The creamy and tasty fondue is composed of three cheeses, namely raclette, mozzarella, and parmesan. Accompanying the meat and fondue are a basket of bread, a fresh salad, crispy fries, mushrooms, and three dipping sauces. The truffle mayo, barbecue, and aioli dips are all flavorful in their own way. My taste buds were having a blast as I enjoyed all the components of our meal. At the end of it all, we were pleasantly surprised with a soft and gooey marshmallow on a stick; I found that thoughtful gesture sweet, in the two senses of the word. As for the service, it was top-notch, and the waiters were friendly and professional. I left SUD having been extremely satisfied with their take on fondue and stone grilling. I will surely be returning and I strongly believe that every meat and cheese lover should try it out!

Cafe Gourmand – Achrafieh

As soon as we went in, we could sense how friendly the staff working there was. They made sure that we had a table that we liked and directly provided us with a high chair for my fidgety toddler. As we were waiting to be given our menus, the manager came to our table and apologetically told us that it was their first day so we should expect the service to be slow. Honestly, we were not annoyed by the service, and we could see that everyone was working very hard amidst some confusion. However, the issue that was a tad bothersome was that so many of the items on the menu were unavailable; it became difficult choosing what we wanted to eat because of that. Already familiar with Nonna’s pizzas and the other restaurants brought to us by the same owner, I stuck around for the food. The pizza was really good, and the crust was thin and crunchy. Also, the meaty Beef Tataki appetizer with the ponzu sauce was tasty. As for the Steak Frites, the meat was tender and the fries were crispy. I just felt that the sauce was slightly bland and could do with a bit more flavor. The fish in the Fish and Chips platter was fresh and moist, yet the outer crust layer was oily. Unfortunately, they were out of tartar sauce which was needed to enhance the platter, in my opinion. When it was time for dessert, the only available item was the Nutella roll, and they kindly gave us an extra one on the house. In general, the food was good, and I know that it was the opening day and a lot of effort was being put in to make it work, but I believe that they should have maybe tried to wait until they were more prepared for a stronger start.

Maryool – Mar Mikhael

The humble donkey would be happy to be associated with Maryool. A cozy and charming place located on the narrow streets of Mar Mikhael, this restaurant is what can actually be called a hidden gem. The staff is young and friendly, while simultaneously being professional and efficient. I really think that they are key to the whole experience at this eatery. I loved how comfortable I felt there. The food is authentic with a unique twist, and this is mirrored in the presentation as well. Their menu consists of a daily meal section, in addition to their platters served in lovely small bowls. This enables you to taste a wide variety of flavors as you take bites from one dish to the next. We ordered the Hendbeh & Kale, Hummus with Chorizo, Zaalook, Scotch Egg, Maryool Musakhan Taco, and Kebbet Mosul. We also wanted the Fatayer, but unfortunately it was unavailable. Add a squeeze of lemon to the Hendbeh & Kale, and it is like placing the cherry on top; it tastes great. I really liked the Hummus, and the Scotch Egg was so tasty with the soft boiled egg’s runny yolk oozing down over the outer crispy kebbe shell. The Musakhan Taco was flavorful, yet it was a bit salty. However, the Kebbet Mosul was delicious; the herb filling complemented the thin flattened kebbe perfectly. For dessert, we had all of the three present on the menu, namely the Maamoul Bi Jebne, the Kneffe, and the Tamriyye. For me, they were all equally good. The Maamoul Bi Jebne was an interesting take on the regular maamoul, and I enjoyed nibbling on it. Although the salty dishes mostly overshadowed the sweet ones in taste and flavor, I felt that I had eaten a hearty and wholesome dinner. I left with a warm feeling inside and I was happy that I had tried Maryool. I will definitely be back.