Casual Dining, Lebanese Style
There used to be a restaurant in Cebu that specialized in Lebanese cuisine and I was invited to its food-tasting media event. At that time, I knew very little about Lebanese food, and the dishes I had tasted were all new to my palate. I could remember the Batata Harara (spicy potatoes, garlic & coriander) with Saj Bread and a dip called the Mouhamara (toasted walnuts & fire roasted peppers) and it was tasty.
Lebanon is sandwiched between Syria on the north and Israel and Palestine on the South. It is part of the Levant, a region on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean that also includes Jordan. Civilization came very early to the region – 7,000 years ago – and with it came conflicts of territory and religion among neighbors and aspiring foreign territorial managers. The end results were wars, misery, ethnic and religious diversity. In Lebanon, there is a unique political system called “confessionalism” or sharing of governance based on religious affinity.
Lebanese cuisine evolved based on what was locally available (whole grains, olive oil, garlic, lemon, vegetables and herbs), what the invaders brought and what their religion allowed. Poultry is popular and lamb is used in the coastal area, while goat is preferred in the mountain regions.
In Cebu, Lebanese dishes are now available with the recent opening of Shawarma Gourmet at the Escario Central Mall.
Proprietor Joan Alcudia and Chef Mansour Houran welcomed the local media group organized by Mars Espera to try the dishes. We tried the first four dishes: Cheese & Beef Sambousek, Hummus and Baba Ganoush with Arabic Croutons.
The sambousek looks like our empanada or turnovers and there were two fillings, cheese and beef. It is served as appetizers or mezze. Hummus is a type of spread made with chickpeas with tahini (sesame paste), olive oil, lemon and spices. Eggplant is the main ingredient of Baba Ganoush and the recipe is somewhat similar with that of hummus; the appearance is also similar but the smoky flavor of the eggplant prevails in Baba Ganoush.
Two types of salads were served: Tabboulelh Salad (tomatoes, chopped parsley, mint, onions and seasonings) and Fattousch Salad. The latter is made with toasted/fried bread and largely cut vegetables spiced by Sumac which impart a lemon taste. We tried the Chicken Musakhan Rolls (looked like spring rolls), baked chicken meat with lots of spices and the Falafel or deep fried balls made with chick peas, fava beans, or both, and topped with salads or sauce.
Star of the restaurant is the Beef or Chicken Shawarma. The Levantine method of grilling meats on a vertical spit in restaurants has been seen in Cebu the last two decades. Shavings are cut of the meat and, in Shawarma Gourmet restaurant, it is served with Saj Bread, Rice or Fries with garnish like pickles and sauce (garlic & tahini sauce). Two days ago, I went back to taste the Beef Shawarma Rice and it was delicious.
The proprietor, Joan Alcudia and Chef Mansour Houran invited a professional belly dancer to entertain the guests. She invited me to join her but, excuse me, I do not have a belly to start with.