Laidback café by the World of Shalom should be on your list if you want to experience authentic Mediterranean/Lebanese dishes with a comfortable ambience. The menu is extensive, though, covering continental as well as Asian dishes in which the restaurant excels as well. I had an unforgettable experience at this place and here are a few dishes that I tasted:
Non veg mezze platter: First, you dig into the succulent Zata’ar chicken which has a very thin crusty exterior and the lovely taste of tangy Zata’ar spices. Second, you bite the meat fatayar which is a fried fluffy envelope of finely minced lamb – the aroma of Mediterranean spices is extremely inviting. Third, you gorge upon the juicy chicken wings and get your hands dirty in the spicy tangy mixture. Fourth, the fine textured hummus, the creamy babaganoush, the healthy tabbouleh and the sour cacic go well with the meaty dishes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Shish Touk – If bulky boneless pieces with the characteristic tanginess could be this soft is hard to believe. The well grilled capsicum and tomatoes have imparted their juiciness to the chicken and when the skewers are served with sour salad of perfectly julienned bell peppers, onions, cabbage and tomatoes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rubiyan Mishwi: Pan seared prawns in garlic butter sauce is every sea food lover’s dream appetizer. But when those prawns have a creamy melt in the mouth texture with no foul aroma, you can not stop your self at just one. Coupled with a light onion, tomato and bell pepper salad with an occasional bite of chopped garlic, this dish is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Grilled salmon in Buerre blanc sauce: One bite will not be enough, trust me! The salmon is grilled to perfection with chewy interiors and slightly crusty exterior and topped with a white whine and butter based Buerre Blanc sauce which has a creamy texture and moderate consistency. And let us not forget the smoothest potato mash with aptly grilled vegetables drenched in a light tangy dressing with the European herbs and you have a winner of a dish. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Tiramisu: The perfect tiramisu gone slightly haywire because of the excess use of coffee powder on the top which lent a slightly butter flavour to the ensemble. RECOMMENDED.
Blueberry cheesecake: The best cheesecake till date! This was not baked which was an added bonus because the soft chocolate base complimented the utterly mellow cheesecake with embedded blueberries. And the icing on the cake was the blueberry sauce with real mashed blueberries adorning the top. Why did I finish this? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
