Restaurant review: The good life Long lunches, Lebanese style, and late dinners. Gamal Nkrumah stumbles upon an oriental gem The emphasis of Lebanese culture is on good times. In the midst of civil war and political tensions, the Lebanese people insist on enjoying life to the full. And, no place in all of Lebanon was as associated with such ambiance than Beirut's Al-Hamra Street. At one point it was the most fashionable shopping thoroughfare of all. This positive Levantine trait harks back to the days of the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians, the ancestors of the contemporary Lebanese people, lived in port-cities tucked away in sheltered bays of the narrow but exceptionally beautiful coastline of the Levant. The fertile alluvial soils of the valleys around streams and rivers that flow into the Mediterranean Sea from the mountains ensured a constant supply of fresh produce from the surrounding countryside. Fruits and vegetables in abundance were complimented by the limitless source of protein-rich seafood. The Phoenicians were among the first peoples to domesticate animals and they invented delectable dishes from the endless food supplies. Grains, olives, vines and nuts were creatively combined with dairy products, fish and meats to conjure up mouthwatering dishes. And, because the Phoenicians were perhaps the best seafarers and mariners of the ancient world, their dishes fast spread throughout the Mediterranean world. They were the greatest merchants in those distant days, and the contemporary Lebanese are just as enterprising as their forebears. Even though the Phoenicians were Masters of the Seas, their city-states long came under the political influence and hegemony of ancient Egypt. The flowering of a special hybrid culture emerged in the Levant. The Phoenicians supplied the Egyptians with precious goods such as purple, extracted from murex shells and the sweet-smelling cedar woods from the slopes of Mount Lebanon. A strong bond developed between Egypt and the Phoenician city-states, especially Byblos, which had a special relationship with Egypt. Pity, the Egyptians never quite managed to learn how to prepare the delicious Phoenician- inspired dishes of the Levantines. Indeed, the secret of the Lebanese cuisine is that the food is made of the freshest ingredients and is invariably lightly cooked. The Egyptians, in sharp contrast, have a tendency to overcook their food -- perhaps because of the scorching sub-tropical heat. The Egyptians also use lots of pickles, again perhaps for preserving food in the heat and, at any rate, people in warmer climes do need more salt in their dietary intake. The onus is on freshness in the Lebanese cuisine. And, one of my favourite Lebanese dishes is taboulah. The fashion in which this particular salad is prepared and presented I consider a yardstick for the excellence of Lebanese restaurant. In Lebanon, I am almost always guaranteed a delicious taboulah. The ingredients are always fresh and the combination of parsley, burghul (or buckwheat), tomatoes, lemon juice and olive oil is simply divine. The taboulah I tried at Al-Hamra was delectable and very similar to the authentic king of Lebanese salads. Taboulah is traditionally wrapped and eaten with fresh lettuce, the succulent lot was out of this world. Another famous Lebanese salad is fatouch -- a tomato and lettuce-based spicy dish garnished with sumae, a sharp burgundy-coloured spice, which could be a substitute for lemon and lime. Like other Lebanese salads, it is preferably drenched in olive oil. The moment came when we had to decide on a main meal. I opted for the Lebanese fatafeet, fatta in Egypt. This was comprised of grilled veal and a deliciously rich yoghurt-based sauce topped with pine nuts and plump chickpeas. The veal was obviously marinated for a long, long time. However, it seemed that it was grilled in a hurry. One side was burnt and the other virtually uncooked. My partner craved pigeon -- not particularly Lebanese, but it was delicious all the same. The grilled pigeons, not my favourite birds, were also well marinated and grilled to perfection. The plump birds were juicy and utterly delicious. I couldn't resist my partner's offer to taste the pigeon. The whole Al-Hamra experience was an eclectic mix of teasing taste buds and nostalgia. Forget about the three-course lunches of certain European nations, the Italians and the Spaniards, for example. The Lebanese specialty is mezzeh : the spread of salads and tasty tidbits, the Levantine answer to the anti-pasta. Al-Hamra Second Floor, Ramses Hilton Annex Downtown Cairo Dinner for two: LE150 Tel: 02 579 3636
