KOREAN GARDEN: A LESSON IN MODEST EXPECTATIONS

KOREAN GARDEN RESTAURANT

FIND IT:

Sultan Bin Hamad Street

near Salwa Road

Doha, Qatar

Tel: 442 1853

 

It’s one of those places, with the kitschy Asian chef poster board and all-over-the-place lights, that sucks you in after driving by enough times, until you submit to just pull in and try it out.  The newspaper clippings with Korean dignitaries posted in the hallway and the random Korean decorations in the dining room promise authentic food.  The fish tank in the front of the restaurant, filled with lazy (or dying) fish, and the Japanese and Chinese sections on either side remind you that they haven’t ACTUALLY made any promises, and indicate that they might be over-extending themselves beyond their area of expertise – all to your detriment.  We didn’t really know what to expect, and we had lengthy discussion about how this might be one of the worst meals we ever have, or it might be the best kept secret in Doha.  It was all very puzzling, really.  

BEIRUT TRAVEL EDITION: DUO FOR DECENT PIZZA

DUO CAFE @ ABC ACHRAFIEH: MISSION SHOP PIT STOP

FIND IT: 

ABC Achrafieh

Achrafieh, Lebanon

http://www.ghiaholding.com/

 

One of the Ghia Group’s restaurants, Duo, has opened a branch in ABC Shopping Mall in Achrafieh.  While stocking up on Brazilian sandals, which are particularly well-suited to the small-footed, and a remarkable selection of which are available in Lebanon, I stopped to fill up on the most efficient fuel known to mission shoppers: Pizza.  At Duo, all key elements were present: 1. Thin crust; 2. tangy sauce; 3. quality cheese; and 4. Fresh toppings  (mushroom and Italian ham –  impossible to OD on pork, folks).   Damn tasty, I must say.  I finished it before I even thought of taking a photo.

CG highly recommends Duo for good pizza, cold drinks, and excellent, quick service.  Outdoor and indoor seating available.

BEIRUT TRAVEL EDITION: LEBANESE DONE RIGHT AT HALABI

MAT3AM HALABI: A PROPER LEBANESE DINNER

  

FIND IT: 

Antelias Place

Antelias, Lebanon

04 520 851

 

Before the dinner rush

 

Bread-baking station

Do not travel to Lebanon without having a huge Lebanese dinner with lots of friends at Halabi.  And do not skip past this post without scrolling through the fabulously vivid pictures of the dishes available at Halabi, after the jump.

Halabi is a lovely place to have the most traditional of Lebanese dinners, starting with turmous for nibbling, moving on to mezze of every possible variety, then grilled meats, and finally, fresh and candied fruits for dessert.  The place is filled with large, lively groups and courteous, alert servers.  Halabi keeps in its employ a woman completely dedicated to bread-baking, seated at the entrance of the restaurant for patron observation. 

It’s difficult to describe such an experience without posting loads of pictures. While not every single dish was the best of that type I’ve ever had, overall, this was the best Lebanese dinner I’ve ever had, and I’ve had thousands of Lebanese dinners.  (Remember: It’s one of my “can eat everyday” cuisines).  What I’ll do here is present the pictures, and provide brief commentary.

BEIRUT TRAVEL EDITION: SOGGY SANDWICH AT SAWA CAFE

SAWA CAFE

FIND IT:

Sodeco – Achrafieh Street

Beirut, Lebanon

01 337 090 / 03 084 588

 

I had a hankering for some halloumi, so I set out in search of  an acceptable cafe in which to sit and contemplate the following: Why do Lebanese taxi drivers ask “Taxi?” after you’ve already gotten into the Taxi cab?  Is there another reason I am getting into a strange man’s car, marked “Taxi”?  Is prostitution the other option?  I hoped not.  At least they did not seem disappointed when I answered, “Yes, Taxi.” So as I was wondering, wandering, on foot, down a side alley off Istiqlal Street, I saw with increasing frequency signs for “Sawa Cafe.”   Though I am skeptical of salespeople, I am a sucker for witty and / or persistent advertising, and what these signs lacked in cleverness, they made up for in tenacity.   I decided after about three signs that I must give Sawa a chance – after all, they earned it.  Such diligence in sign-posting, and not for naught!

       

BEIRUT TRAVEL EDITION: TAKIN IT TO THE HOUSE

CASA LOUNGE /LA MAISON DU CAFE

 

FIND THEM:

Independence Avenue

Between Sodeco and Sassine Places

Achrafieh

Beirut, Lebanon

 

It was high time I enjoyed a meal in Beirut that did not feature hommous.  The fact that a certain Casa Lounge abuts a certain La Maison du Cafe on Independence Ave in Achrafieh somehow caught my attention.  I half expected to turn the corner and find a certain Bistro el-Beit.  No such clairvoyance.  I decided to have a cafe con leche at La Maison du Cafe and a crepe at Casa Lounge (I know, counter-intuitive) but only because the drink menu at La Maison was so extensive.  

BEIRUT TRAVEL EDITION: SULTAN BRAHIM, SULTAN OF MY DREAMS

DIWAN AL-SULTAN BRAHIM

Avenue Charles Malek

Achrafieh

Beirut, Lebanon

01 56 57 57 / 03 56 57 57

http://www.sultanbrahim.com

 

Sultan Brahim is phenomenal.  I ordered it for lunch on my first day of work and it absolutely spoiled me for the rest of my time in Beirut.   The menu contains every variety of Middle Eastern yumminess.  Loads of mezze, sandwiches, beverages.  I opted for the hommous btihineh, fattouche and a chich taouk sandwich.

For the uninitiated, hommous btihineh is the standard, no frills hommous, topped with chickpeas and olive oil.  This one was smooth, not too garlicky, not too lemony, not too tahina-y.  Just right. 

Fattouche is a chunky salad that usually contains lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, and crispy pita chips, dressed with a vinaigrette.  This one was rev-fattouche-inary.  It added to the lettuce mix mache and fresh mint leaves, and the ratio of dressing to salad was perfect.  Too often fattouche constituents are left to drown in an oil spill of tragic proportions, making it impossible to enjoy the salad the next day, which you inevitably want to do when they send you such an enormous order.

NYC TRAVEL EDITION: ROSA MEXICANO

ROSA MEXICANO: BEST MICHELADA THIS SIDE OF THE RIO GRANDE, FOR ONE

FIND IT:

9 E 18th Street

New York, NY 10003

(212) 533 3350

www.rosamexicano.com

 

I’ve eaten at Rosa too many times count, so it’s difficult to write a post about it.  Because words fail me, and so do thoughts, just read these pictures.  Then head to Rosa’s.

eat and drink menu

union sq location

michelada (tecate, worchestershire, tabasco, pepper, lime, salted rim)

table side guacamole (avocado, cilantro, tomato, onion, jalepeno)

zarape de pato (duck w/ yellow habanero cream sauce)

quesadilla (mushrooms, corn, oaxaca cheese)

enchiladas de jaiba (lump crab w/ tomatillo sauce), served with rice/beans

Rosa also has locations at Lincoln Square (62nd/Columbus) and 1st Ave (at 58th Street).

NYC TRAVEL EDITION: NICE MORNING AT NICE MATIN

NICE MATIN

FIND IT:

201 W 79th Street

New York, NY

(212) 873 6423

 

It’s so fun to revisit old favorites.  Nice Matin is one of my favorites on the upper west side, for any time of day.  This time around I went for breakfast, and ordered my usual mint lemonade, which always ends too quickly but can be regenerated with a refill of water – creating a something like Hint or Smart Water (R.I.P.).  The breakfast bread basket always pleases, with an assortment including a fruit and nut country bread and adorable mini carrot cake muffins, all served with room temperature unsalted French butter.  

NYC TRAVEL EDITION: GROM’S GLORIOUS GELATO

GROM

FIND IT:

2165 Broadway

New York, NY

(212) 362-1837‎

http://www.grom.it/ita/

 

Grom is the richest, creamiest, loveliest gelato in the city.  Any challengers should comment below.  I used to believe that the richer and purer the dessert, the less you need to eat to be satisfied.  Call it my Unadulterated Dessert Theory.  Take chocolate for instance.  The idea is that when you have a crappy candy bar, or a sugar free low fat chocolate cake, you just keep eating more because the inferior sweet is incapable of killing your craving for the real thing.  Who among us has not eaten an entire Snickers bar, wondering: who, indeed, does it really satisfy?  Yet after a mere morsel of Vosges, it’s over.

NYC TRAVEL EDITION: KEEP COMING TO KANG SUH

KANG SUH: KARNIVORES FOR KOREAN BBQ

FIND IT:

1250 Broadway

 New York, NY‎

(212) 564-6845

Your Mexican CG and her gorgeous Indian friend SG, who both not so long ago proudly pretended to be one quarter Korean, did so once more on Friday night, celebrating belated BDays, savoring the most delicious Korean BBQ in NY, and missing their SYK far away in HK.   Let’s all meet again in NY, drink some Soju and OB, and karaoke the night away at Chorus.