Beirutista

Before the days of employment, I was averse to all warm beverages except one, hot chocolate. As a child, my beverage consumption was limited to water and fresh nonfat milk. Sodas I drank sparingly, perhaps once every few weeks. Whenever my mother brewed tea or herbal infusions like aniseed, I would run the other way. I couldn’t reconcile the sweet wafting aromas with the virtually tasteless hot water. It felt like being duped. As you grow older, your taste buds certainly evolve, and you become more tolerant of the tastes, flavors and textures you may have abhorred in childhood. The reality was that when I moved into an 8-5 office setting, I quickly noted how nearly everyone around me needed a cup (or three) of hot coffee to get their mornings revving.  The banes of coffee, however, are numerous: it’s addictive, thanks to its high caffeine content; it stains your pearly whites; and it’s just not that tasty unless you load it with creamer, sugar, and/or milk. So I start...

I still remember sitting at the kitchen table, barely seven, drafting a letter to Old Saint Nick. I’d seen Mom browsing through the advertising circulars that had come through the mail, and, perpetually yearning to be in her presence, I planted myself next to her. I picked up the one from Longs Drugs, an American chain that is now CVS, and leafed to the toy section. My eyes immediately fell upon the latest Barbie, and I clipped the photo to append to my Santa wish list. As a child, Barbie held an unbreakable spell over me. I would fawn over her glamorous mini-dresses, those tiny poised feet that slipped effortlessly into her heels, that sun-kissed hair, and her pleasant smile baring just the right gap of white. Photo credit: http://dreamatico.com/ But I wasn’t like most girls who would brush her hair, dress her in different outfits, and drag her in tote wherever they went. On the contrary, my fixation with her translated to distant admiration and an earnest ...

In this era of all things digital, you can do practically anything from the comfort of your computer or, ever more popularly, your smartphone.  By everything, I mean you could scour Oysho’s current inventory at their Beirut Souks branch. You could transfer money or pay bills using online banking. You could browse burger diners in Sin el Fil and their associated customer reviews. You could even secure dinner reservations at Bodo the bar, or fancy-pants Yabani, tonight at 8:30.  Here in Lebanon. You read right. We all know how trends and frenzies take a little bit more time to reach us from both Occident and Orient. We’re a (very) reactionary people who clings to traditions, values, culture, and etiquette. But wasn’t it high time that we could book a table online at our own leisure, totally bypassing some snooty, faux-French-speaking receptionist who, pretending the restaurant is fully booked, sneers at our ambitiousness? Wouldn’t you like to know when the rest...

Last Friday, Classic Burger Joint unveiled the latest addition to its network of diners across Lebanon. Jounieh residents, rejoice, for you may now sink your canines into a juicy bunned beauty at the Zouk Mosbeh outlet (next to LaLa Chicken on the southbound highway). If you’re not a resident of the area, don't stop reading, because this breaking news will affect all addicts of the “Hamburgers is all we do!” restaurant.  A spiffy new menu will be unloaded next week and includes an array of newbies like the Classic Platter and ( gasp! ) a Potato Burger. Those of you who swear by the Lebanese Burger or the Blues Burger should run out now to bid your favorites adieu, because they'll soon be history. Burger platter Here’s the low-down: BURGERS The menu is far more neat and easy-to-read than before. Beef and chicken burgers are organized by column, and BBQ-Bacon and The Mexican now straddle both categories. That means you can enjoy a grilled marinated chicke...

When the weather takes a turn for the frigid, thoughts of warmth and good food bring comfort. Fortunately, Lebanon’s got its fair share of comfort food, from the traditional manakish pies to more international chow (namely, burgers). Here’s the round-up of my favorite spots this winter, in no particular order. The seasonal Raclette burger at BRGR.Co An unlikely find: The J’s 6oz. Black Angus burger  This was a chance discovery, thanks to a Zomato voucher.  The J’s  is a delivery joint operating out of Verdun, and they serve up a slew of salads, sandwiches, burgers and mains. The namesake 6-oz. burger for 14,500 LL caught my eye, and when I read the beef is sourced from Black Angus cattle, I was sold. Delivery to downtown Beirut took the estimated 35 minutes, and the sandwich was pretty darn exceptional.  Nifty packaging! A thick, juicy beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato and a light signature sauce is jacketed in a soft, seed-f...

For the longest time, the extent of Asian cuisine dominating the Lebanese dining scene was Chopsticks. I remember when it was first introduced in 1998 to Sin el Fil, where Margarita sits now, and how it quickly became all the rage. In no time, "Chicken Cashew" became a household name, and "spring rolls" found their way into the Lebanese lexicon.  As restaurant standards climbed, Chopsticks slipped into casual Chinese dining at best, and a myriad of more authentic options cropped up. Chen Bao in Saifi Village, The Jasmine Room in Jal el Dib, and Le Hanoi in Sofil are just a few of the restaurants that tickled our taste buds but disappeared as swiftly as they'd appeared. For a while, we were back to square one, until PF Chang's crossed the Atlantic in 2012 to take root on our Mediterranean shores.  Chang's is tasty and reliable in the way that all behemoth American chains are. It's already found a foothold in three mall complexes. But it lacks th...

It's hard enough finding a pub that  isn't stuffy,  boasts expert bartenders, and   plays smooth tunes. Now add delicious edibles to the checklist, and you're pretty much asking for a miracle.  I was pleasantly surprised with BistroBar Live at the new restaurant and bar concept The Village in Dbayeh. Enter the space through a foldable glass door, and allow one of the attentive waitstaff to seat you. Once settled, a complimentary snack mix will land on your table. It is irresistible, blending Al Rifai corn nuts, roasted soybeans, pepitas, peanuts, and seasoned krikri. What an energy boost! Welcome snack mix Make sure you commence the food fest with the goat cheese salad, which cradles a disk of herb-dusted chèvre mounted onto crispy vermicelli, all atop a refreshing lettuce mix tossed in yuzu and decked with pomegranate seeds, tomatoes and pears. That's a real mouthful! Goat cheese salad The Citrus Salmon layers the namesake smoked fis...