Lebanon this June?

[Behemoth]

Alright, now it is time for specifics Where is Abu Fadi's? A rough description would do, I am somewhat familiar with El Mina. Also, roughly where in Beirut is "Jabbour"?

And, any particularly nice place in Beirut for a late meal or drink, with a view of the beach? (A's birthday dinner.)

[FoodMan]

Alright, now it is time for specifics Where is Abu Fadi's? A rough description would do, I am somewhat familiar with El Mina. Also, roughly where in Beirut is "Jabbour"?

And, any particularly nice place in Beirut for a late meal or drink, with a view of the beach? (A's birthday dinner.)

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I can definitly help with "Jabbour, it located right on a small street right next to Dora Square (mustadirat El Dora). Across from it you can see the CIT technical institute and anyone in that area should point you to it.

Abu Fadi is also well known and is located close to the beginning of Mina Boulevard, across from the beach. Sorry I am not more help, but I think it might be easier to just ask once you get there.

I might not be that much help on the third query, since I do not live in Beirut anymore. However, last year my friends took us to a really nice place where you can sit and overlook the Rouche rock. Come to think of it there are a couple of restaurants in the Rouche area with very nice views. On the otherside of Beirut, the eastern side the Maamaltein/Junieh area has several nice restaurants. the one that stands out over there is called "Manuella". I know it sounds cheesy, but they have very good food (mezza and mashawi) as well as a phenomenal location. Last year I was there the place was still very popular.

Good luck and don't forget to report back.

Elie

[M. Lucia]

Behemoth, I haven't forgotten my promise to offer suggestions, but the more I've thought about it the harder its become.

It seems most of my great food memories of Lebanon involve meals cooked in the homes of friends and their families. Most of my Lebanese friends didn't even like going out for Lebanese food because it wasn't as good as homemade. The other problem is that I can't remember any names or directioons and I'm in Paris without access to my notebooks.

Anyways, dining on the Corniche is very popular for its atmosphere, if not for its food. The Sky Bar atop the Palm Beach hotel is swanky. There is a whole sort of complex of restaurants overlooking the rock that offer good options. We always called it the Movenpick complex, it's pretty hard to miss. In one of the seafood restaurants you can pick your seafood from a big display and then they cook it for you.

Marrouche must be mentioned as it is legendary and the original. Excellent Lebanese food, no alcohol. Go for lunch and have the foul medammmes, the best. Maamari Street, Ras Beirut (parallel to Bliss).

Socrate on Bliss St is another good lunch option.

For felafel, schwarma and any kind of fast food in Beirut, Barbar is the go-to place. It's just north of Hamra Street, 03-433855. They've expanded to take over a whole city block with all kinds of takeout (good fattoush) and ice creams and desserts.

Bliss House on Bliss St is also fast food and has the best ice cream.

There is the best little place for kibbe nayeh in Ras Beirut whose name or location I can't remember. It's a little two floor hole-in-the-wall that specializes in all kinds of kibbe and particularly kibbe nayieh. I think it's called Abu something, if anyone out there knows of this place...

My favorites pastries are Taj al-Malouk's.

In my experience most Beirutis will tell you that the best eating is to be had in the mountains outside the city. I went to a few such places, including Jennieh (Paradise), and the food was very good if you can handle to Disney-like entertainment and onslaught of courses.

One thing I would say is that all the restaurants that line the downtown area are not really worth your money. It's nice to walk around the rebuilt area at night but the restaurants are tourist traps and will overcharge you.

I will think try to think of a nice bday dinner restaurant if I get the chance. And of course, that was only Beirut.

I just went back to this little Lebanese take out place I always visit in Paris, right near where I stay in the 5th/6th. The owner is from Zahle, and the food was a Proustian experience for me.

Hope you are excited for your trip!

[Behemoth]

Thanks! Now get off the computer and enjoy Paris

My dad's decided to tag along, so we should be in decent hands most of the time. (I insisted, however, on three nights alone with A in Beirut -- we barely see each other enough as it is, and next year it will be even worse!) Plus we want to investigate this crazy Beirut club scene we keep hearing about, even though we are feeling a little too old for that sort of thing...

[M. Lucia]

Haha.

BO-18. Zinc. Acid. Monot St?

(Went to an internet cafe yesterday to confirm flight and got sidetracked by eG. Back in New York now )

[Behemoth]

BO-18. Zinc. Acid. Monot St?

Definitely BO-18. That place sounds intense! Zinc also sounded good, from what I've read.

I wish I still had a connection at AUB. Can you get in if you are not visiting someone? We would like to look around as we are considering trying to have a year there on sabbatical/post doc/whatever sometime in the future. Maybe I will contact potential collegues. Everyone I know has long since graduated, even my "baby" brother's generation!

Also, there seems to be a real dearth of public beaches in Beirut. We know people in Tripoli but our days up there will probably be too packed to go. Know of anyplace we can pay to get in nearby without knowing a member? Apart from renting a $200 seaside hotel room, I mean.

PS Hey, New York isn't that bad. But it does get stinky in the summer...

[M. Lucia]

Yes, you can certainly get in to AUB. You could probably just talk your way in at the gate, say you are alum or that you are interested in attending the school.

There is a public women's beach south of Beirut, I think it's about twenty minutes, but unfortunately I can't remember any details. You do want a reputable beach or it won't be clean. Many of the clubs there have a one day pass thing that can be around $20 and come with all sorts of perks, a guide book or a friend will have info. I wish I could give you more details but I am swamped with work. That's where your old AUB connections could come in handy- beach priviliges. I know a couple people there but I think they may be gone for the summer.

working away and dreaming of lubnan

[FoodMan]

Ah BO-18!! Is it still there? So many memories of that place..not all good . My friends and I got kicked out of it one time, but that story sure does not belong on a food board.

Concerning beaches, it depends what you are looking for. We always went to Jbeil (Byblos) to the nice sandy beaches and all we had to pay for was the parking. These were clean and can get pretty busy on the weekends, but are sure a lot of fun. We brought our own umbrella, some sandwiches and beer. However, you can buy any of these items from one of the numerous shacks on the beach. One of the favorite things was the slow leisurly drive back on the old road adjacent to the ocean (not the freeway) where you pass by Maameltein and Junieh... Now, if you are looking for a beach with Chaleh's, pool, nice restaurants, then you might be better of knowing someone who actually rents a cabin for the season.

Elie

[Behemoth]

Thanks Elie and M. Lucia.

Elie, I am trying to imagine what you got kicked out for, you seem so mellow. Then again I've gotten kicked out of a few places myself

I think I will try to talk our way into AUB somehow -- maybe one of my dad's friends' kids are around and can get us in. Though Byblos is probably the nicer option...then again I will probably be laughed off the property for my midwestern pallor.

So AUB alums also have access? That makes things a lot easier.

[touaregsand]

Yesterday I ran into a Lebanese friend of mine. She and her husband are leaving for Beirut next week to spend the summer there. The are taking the kids. She feels it's perfectly safe.

(The whole family cried when they heard about Samir Kassir)

[Behemoth]

A few general remarks:

Okay, so it will be about 6 months before I need to eat Lebanese food again. I'm kidding, of course. Sorta. It would be faster to list what we didn't eat rather than what we did...

Anyway. Cherries were very much in season.

The UN elections observation folks spent a LOT of time parked in front of Hallab, by the way. Oddly enough, we didn't see them at the polling places. Halab has gotten even better, which is scary.

I don't think you can top Beirut nightlife. Smart and with that black sense of humor I missed so much. Needless to say all the bars listed above were past it by now, but luckily we had some excellent guides to show us the current "good stuff"

It was fun speaking Arabic again. All those weird little things you are expected to say at certain points in the conversation. Weird how quickly it all came back.

We also saw a lot of very old buildings.

All the cabbies know where abu fadi's is. But that is emphatically not the best samke harra in el Mina. the best is a couple of blocks away and about 9 floors up

[zeitoun]

A few general remarks:

Okay, so it will be about 6 months before I need to eat Lebanese food again. I'm kidding, of course. Sorta. It would be faster to list what we didn't eat rather than what we did...

Anyway. Cherries were very much in season.

The UN elections observation folks spent a LOT of time parked in front of Hallab, by the way. Oddly enough, we didn't see them at the polling places. Halab has gotten even better, which is scary.

I don't think you can top Beirut nightlife. Smart and with that black sense of humor I missed so much. Needless to say all the bars listed above were past it by now, but luckily we had some excellent guides to show us the current "good stuff"

It was fun speaking Arabic again. All those weird little things you are expected to say at certain points in the conversation. Weird how quickly it all came back.

We also saw a lot of very old buildings.

All the cabbies know where abu fadi's is. But that is emphatically not the best samke harra in el Mina. the best is a couple of blocks away and about 9 floors up

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Welcome back Nadia! Please tell us more, any food highlights? Little anecdotes to share with us? Pictures?

Going to Lebanon to visit family and friends requires lots of preparation: I remember the daily lunch invitations (never just lunch but a feast!), then the endless dinners that would normally start at 11pm! To avoid PTLFS (Post Traumatic Lebanese Food Syndrome), I also had to forget about Lebanese food for a while..

[chefzadi]

Yes, Nadia. Is there more? Or is this all we get?

It was fun speaking Arabic again. All those weird little things you are expected to say at certain points in the conversation. Weird how quickly it all came back.

I think knowing a language is sort of like riding a bicycle, you never really forget. If you haven't ridden in a while you think you'll crash, untill you actually get on, funble for awhile, soon you're coasting.

Did you get to eat out alot? It's not always easy when you have to visit lots of relatives, they keep stuffing you in succession.

[Behemoth]

First I have to do some catch-up work to convince my advisor I am not a worthless, fellowship-scamming waste of time.

I took lots of photos -- the ones with family won't be posted on the web but that still leaves quite a bit. So I promise more as soon as I take my next study break!

[FoodMan]

The UN elections observation folks spent a LOT of time parked in front of Hallab, by the way. Oddly enough, we didn't see them at the polling places. Halab has gotten even better, which is scary.

That is just too funny, and of course expected! I am sure they were doing their jobs seriously 'Observing' what the 3000 calorie Lebanese Hallab breakfast is composed of, since it can seriously affect the polling results .

Elie