For many people, the undisputed great thing about Lebanon lies within the high quality of foods and drinks obtainable to denizens. If we Lebanese are blessed with one factor, it’s a extremely discerning palate and a deep-seated appreciation for meals, regardless of the delicacies or class.
Listed here are just a few of my newfound favorites bejeweling the Lebanese frontier, from the coast to the mountains!
Gilbert’s Burger Bites
Having grown up in California, I do know burger after I see (and sink my canines into) one. The Lebanese have all the time had a love affair with burgers, however if you happen to grew up within the 90s, a burger round right here ubiquitously meant a skinny kafta-like patty smothered with coleslaw and fries, tucked inside a sesame seed bun giant sufficient to bury a baseball. Whereas nostalgia-inducing, that specimen belongs in our previous.
Since shifting to Lebanon in 2011, I’ve loved quite a lot of respectable burgers. However the crowning jewel is doubtless Gilbert’s Burger Bites. I’m unsure why it’s dubbed “Bites,” as a result of their burgers are something however. For the uninitiated, begin with the “Stylish” traditional burger, that includes an Angus beef patty seared to a pink core, cheddar, tomato, pickles, onions and thousand island sauce (US $8.00).
The true magic nevertheless occurs contained in the Triple Smashed Burger, showcasing a trio of cheddar-laden Angus patties with loosely-packed meat, onions, pickles, and thousand island (US$ 12.00). It needs to be prison to make a burger this deliriously scrumptious. And be warned: it’s enormous. Indulge slowly, and eat reasonably.
GBB boasts two places, one alongside the Antelias-Rabieh freeway, and the opposite on the Tabarja roundabout. I’ve tried the previous for each dine-in and take-away, and it’s constant!
| The Triple Smashed Burger at Gilbert’s Burger Bites |
Al Abdalla
It’s no surprise Al Abdalla has relatively shortly expanded past Lebanon to Iraq and UAE – their barbecue rooster is spectacular. Order a big Hen Sandwich (US$ 7.50), and also you’ll know what I imply. Replete with aromatic charcoal-grilled rooster and slathered with a duo of garlic and chili sauces, the Arabic pita bread wrap is then brushed with a sumac-infused oil and pressed to the grill. It’s zesty, it’s spell-binding, and it’s positively a singular tackle Lebanese rooster sandwiches.
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| Hen Sandwich at Al Abdalla |
Chawarma Diclan
A good friend directed us to this shawarma hotspot in Bikfaya, which we had fairly some hassle finding regardless of its place alongside the principle Bikfaya avenue. Whereas its perch could appear refined and understated, its shawarma wraps are daring and filled with lean meat. That is the primary time my conscience didn’t gnaw at me as I wolfed down the sandwich ravenously. With an ideal dose of tahini, parsley, tomato, and pickle, the meat shawarma gained’t go away you feeling heavy or bothered. Afterward, you possibly can proceed fortunately to the Bachir stronghold down the road for good old school Lebanese bouza.
Elmir Craft Beer
It took a wine pageant within the coronary heart of Beirut to introduce me to what may arguably be Lebanon’s most interesting craft beer. I sampled it on faucet, and wow – what an expertise! The “Aleph,” a medium-full Lebanese Terroir beer brewed with carob molasses, is really the nectar of the gods, and registers an alcohol content material degree of 8.5%. It appears proper to borrow the wine time period “full-bodied” to explain this liquid gold. Anfé (4.8%), referring to the northern coastal metropolis identified for its salt marshes, is distinctively dry and bitter with a pleasantly salty end. For a traditional brew, the IPA (5.5%) is powerful and quenching.
Elmir is bought at quite a lot of retail shops and served on faucet at varied eating places, pubs and bars (see their Instagram posts for the exhaustive lists).
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| Elmir’s draft beer stand at Vinifest 2023 |
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