Lebanese cuisine :: All Things Andy Gavin

Archive for Lebanese cuisine

Sauvages Carousel

Oct24

Restaurant: Carousel Restaurant Glendale

Location: 304 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203. (818) 246-7775

Date: March 25, 2022

Cuisine: Lebanese

Rating: Best Lebanese in the city

The March 2022 Sauvages lunch was at Carousel, a classic (for good reason) Glendale Lebanese banquet restaurant. The wine theme was originally supposed to be Northern Rhone but mysteriously allowed in a bunch of Cabs at some point.

The hall is big and very themed.

2008 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Millésimé. 92 points.

Bonus from me: NV Henriot Champagne Brut Souverain. VM 90. Light gold. Lees-accented orchard and citrus fruit aromas are complicated by sweet butter, iodine and smoky minerals. Dry and expansive on the palate, offering lively pear and melon flavors and a refreshingly bitter touch of orange pith. Ample but lithe brut, with very good finishing punch and repeating smoke and pear qualities.

2001 Château de Fieuzal Blanc. RJ 93. Light medium yellow color; aromatic, deep lemon, lemon peel nose; oily textured, mature, tart lemon, preserved lemon, saffron, mineral palate; medium-plus finish

Our menu today.

1996 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon. VM 92-94. Saturated ruby. Deep aromas of cassis, blueberry, game, woodsmoke and iron. Thick, powerful and gamey in the mouth; has the texture and thickness not yet shown by Chapoutier’s ’96 Hermitage Méal. Primal dark berry and violet notes. Explosive fruit on the very long aftertaste, which features huge, chewy tannins. Neither particularly <I>sauvage</I> nor especially austere. Should be a beauty with seven or eight years of bottle aging. A great performance for the vintage.

1999 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon. VM 93+. Full medium ruby. Classic Hermitage aromas of dark berries and gunflint, with a suggestion of bitter chocolate. Concentrated, sweet and expansive, with inky and minerally components suggestive of the granite soil. Finishes with impressively ripe fruit flavor and huge, spreading tannins that take over the palate. From a crop level just under 30 hectoliters per hectare.

2000 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon. VM 92+. Saturated ruby-red. More reserved aromas of blackberry, cassis, licorice, minerals, cinders and spices. Juicy and tight, with a varietally accurate raw currant character. Fresh, intense and structured for the year. Finishes very long, with firm tannins and strong spice character.

From my cellar: 2001 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon. VM 95. Saturated red-ruby. Explosive, superripe aromas of black raspberry, boysenberry, black olive tapenade, licorice, coffee and smoked meat. Wonderfully opulent and voluptuous in the mouth, with a texture like liquid silk. Coats your mouth, cheeks and whatever other surfaces it can find. Finishes with extraordinarily fine tannins and great sweetness and persistence. The best bottle of Pavillon I’ve tasted in at least a decade.

Hummus. Garbanzo with sesame seed oil, tahini, lemon juice and garlic. Great version of the classic.

Moutabel. Roasted eggplant with garlic, sesame seed oil, tahini & lemon juice.

Sarma. Fresno grape leaves, stuffed with rice and vegetables. This was hands down some of the best stuffed grape leaves I’ve ever had. They were very soft and very tangy (sumac I think).

Beef Tartare. Filet Mignon with Olive Oil. This Lebanese/Armenian version is blended into a pasty texture and very soft.

Fatayer. Turnovers stuffed with shite cheese and pan fried. These were scrumptious, particularly when used like bread to scoop up other mezze.

Fattoush Salad. Cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, spices, toasted pita bread in a sumac-citrus vinaigrette. Very tangy.

2000 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District.

1999 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon. VM 90+. Deep medium ruby. Sexy nose of roasted black raspberry, cassis, root beer, meat and spicy, toasty oak. Lush, dense, sweet and powerful; an outsized wine with rich flavors of black fruits and spices. Still, I’d like to have found a bit more verve and finesse. Decant this wine well in advance if you plan to try it now.

1998 Dalla Valle Maya. VM 93. One of the biggest revelations in this tasting, the 1998 Maya is drop-dead gorgeous. Expressive aromatics lift from the glass, followed by small red berries, pine, menthol and leather. The 1998 is all about detail. What a wonderful surprise the 1998 Maya has turned out to be. There is also little doubt the 1998, from a poorly regarded vintage, has handled time with far more grace than the 1997. (Drink between 2014-2020)

Muhammarra. Crushed walnuts, red pepper paste and pomegranate. I love this stuff.

Kbbeh. Spheres (bullets) of beef and cracked wheat, stuffed with minced beef, onion and pine nuts. Also awesome.

Soujuk Flambe. House-made Armenian beef sausage flame broiled at the table.

Frog Legs Provencal. Pan-fried frog legs with lemon juice, garlic, and cilantro. So addictive!

Lamb Kastaleta. Prime Australian lamb chops, seasoned and charbroiled. Nice char and well cooked.

Mantee (Shish Barak). Mini meat pies, oven baked and topped with a tomato yogurt sauce. I love these. This has derived both in name and style from dumplings brought west by the Mongols. It’s clearly closely related to the Afghan version.

1997 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve. VM 93. Bright medium ruby. Sexy aromas of dark berries and earth complemented by mellow mocha and coffee tones; inviting and mature but not at all old. Wonderfully suave, silky dark berry, spice and floral flavors are framed and extended by harmonious acidity. The tannins are serious but less dusty than those of the special Anniversary bottling and the juicy, subtle, rising finish avoids tartness. Showing beautifully today–and more refined than a bottle, rated 92 points, that was part of my big Beringer vertical tasting in 2015. (Drink between 2017-2028)

1993 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Grown Pritchard Hill. VM 92. One of the most surprising wines of the night is Don Bryant’s 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon. The 1993 won’t last forever, but it is in a gorgeous place right now. The brightness and purity of the fruit remain alluring. This is one of the all-around favorites at the table, and it is easy to see why.

1995 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon. VM 96+. Togni’s 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is simply dazzling. Deep, unctuous and explosive, this Cabernet Sauvignon screams with the essence of exotic spices, iron, graphite, leather, smoke, game and dark fruit. The 1995 gets better and better with time in the glass, revealing myriad shades of dimension and extraordinary balance. Although stunning today, the 1995 has at least another decade ahead of it. The 1995 was made from the original vines that were ten years old at the time. (Drink between 2015-2025)

1992 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon. 93 points. Another superb bottle of this. Popped and poured. The nose is just gorgoeous. Cherry, flowers, herbs and truffles. The wine is beautifully integrated with black currant, cherry, earth and lead pencil. Well balanced and long on the finish. Excellent. Too bad this is my last bottle of this.

Chicken Breast Kebab (Shish Tawook). Boneless and skinless chicken breast, marinated and charbroiled.

Beef Shish Kebab (Lahem Meshwey). Cubed beef filet mignon, marinated and charbroiled.

Lula Kebab (Beef Kafta). Minced lean beef mixed with fine chopped onions, parsley, seasoning and spices.

Frri (quail). Pan-fried quail sautéed with sumac pepper and citrus sauce. Sauce was very tangy with a hint of spice and delicious.

Veal Liver Kebab. Fresh veal liver cubed and marinated with special spices, broiled tomatoes topped with cumin.

French fries.

Toum (garlic aioli).

2004 Dolce Winery Late Harvest. 92 points. Extra sticky, mostly honey flavored, good dessert wine if you like this style of late harvest.

Passion for Pistachio Gelato — Sicilian Pistacchio di Bronte DOP custard gelato base with just a touch of Grand Mariner, ribboned with bits of Valrhona Dark Chocolate Passionfruit Ganache — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #pistacchio #bronte #Sicily #Valrhona #Chocolate #Passionfruit #GrandMariner #Ganache

Peach Rose Sorbetto — A blend of White and Blood Peaches from Avignon with a bit of Persian Rosewater! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — I’ve tried variants of this flavor several times and am at 1/8 the rosewater I started with, still titrating down! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #BloodPeach #rose #rosewater #peach

Plated (by me).

Ashta B’aasal. Authentically prepared ashta (condensed milk) layered over french banana with honey and pistachio. This was awesome… except for the banana (which I had to pick around).

Basma.

Baklava.

Lebanese coffee. Good for knocking all the alcohol out of one’s system.

Food was amazing. So much of it and nearly every dish was incredible. Really really tasty. Much fresher, better cooked, and zestier than almost any other Lebanese/Armenian place I’ve been too. For sure the best I’ve had in LA.

Hermitages were nice, but the new world wines were… well new world. At least they had some age on them.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Carousel, Gelato, Glendale, kabobs, Lebanese cuisine, lunch, Mezze, Sauvages, Wine

Skaf’s Lebanese Cuisine

Oct14

Restaurant: Skaf’s Lebanese Cuisine

Location: 367 N Chevy Chase Dr. Ste A, Glendale, CA 91206

Date: August 27, 2019

Cuisine: Lebanese

Rating: Awesome mezzes

Hedonist Anthony set up this particular dinner because he considers Skaf’s to be the best Lebanese in town. Now this is controversial — and the Armenian contingent at dinner doesn’t agree, but in any cases I trekked out to Glendale to check it out.

Street corner location in Downtown Browdown.

Inside is very casual. This is basically a lunch place. They did let us open our wines though.

Pickles and olives. The peppers were nice and spicy and the olives excellent. I enjoyed this dish as I kept munching on the olives.

Tabbouli. Tabbouleh is a Levantine vegetarian salad made mostly of finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, bulgur, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Not everyone loves Tabbouli because it tastes so strongly of parsley — but I enjoy it for its cleansing and refreshing quality.

Labneh. Basically a yogurt cheese, similar to Greek yogurt. I love, love this stuff. I easily ate several of them and I love it with meat.

Hommus. A Levantine dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas or other beans, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic.

Baba Ghannouj. Moutabal. Levantine appetizer of mashed cooked eggplant mixed with tahini, olive oil, possibly lemon juice, and various seasonings.

Pita Bread. Pretty standard.

Cabbage Salad. Loved this zesty salad — pretty much straight fiber to help move things down. I kept munching on it all night.

Fattoush Salad. The standard middle eastern salad. The dressing here was good, but I could do without the tomatoes or toasted pita.

Kibbeh Nayeh. Raw kibbeh is a Levantine mezze. It consists of minced raw lamb mixed with fine bulgur and spices. Kibbeh nayyeh is often served with mint leaves, olive oil, and green onions. Pita bread is used to scoop it. This is also a “more advanced” dish as it’s raw and “mushy.” I do like it a lot though, particularly with labneh!

Falafel. A deep-fried ball, or a flat or doughnut-shaped patty, made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Herbs, spices, and onion relatives are commonly added to the dough. It is an Egyptian dish as well as a very famous Middle Eastern dish, that most likely originated in Egypt. Not my favorite dish actually. I find falafel too dry and fried.

Cheese Roll. Carby, but delicious. Pretty much a cheese spring roll. The cheese inside is ricotta-like.

Kibbeh. A Levantine dish made of bulgur, minced onions, and finely ground lean beef, lamb, goat, or camel meat with Middle Eastern spices — then deep fried so it gets a crispy shell. Delicious with… you guessed it… labneh.

Maanek. Little tasty “snausages”. Lots of flavor.

Soujouk. Traditional Lebanese sausage with onions. Also lots of salty/meaty flavor. Delicious.

Frog legs with garlic. Super tasty frog leg variant. Lots of GARLIC! I have heard this called Aleppo style.

Spicy Potato. Kind of like potatoes bravos, minus the sauce.

Fried Cauliflower. Served with tahini as usual. This was in before cauliflower was in.

Hommus with Beef Shwarma. Not sure why this came so late. At an odd place in the meal.

Hommus with Chicken Shwarma. Same as above, but drier. I don’t really like chicken shwarma.

Shish Kebab (beef), Shish Tawook (chicken), and Kafta Kebab (ground beef). Garlic spread. I liked the Kafta best, particularly with the garlic paste.

Ashta. Fresh rose water flavored cream topped with bananas, strawberries, crushed pistachios and honey.

Ashta without bananas. I only ate this version as I don’t like bananas. But pretty delicious as I like the soft creaminess and the delicate rose flavor.

Mocha Bourbon Butterscotch Gelato — expresso infused milk, Valrhona cocoa, Knob Creek Bourbon, and a house-made Butterscotch Sauce — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #mocha #expresso #coffee #chocolate #Valrhona #butterscotch #bourbon #KnobCreek

Tingly Passion Gelato — passionfruit striped with blackberry coulis, steeped with Chengdu Street Market Szechuan Green Peppercorns — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #passionfruit #blackberry #coulis #SzechuanPepper #SpicySweet #passion

Overall, I enjoyed Skaf’s and thought that the Mezze, while fairly typical, were very fresh and delicious. But the meal was interestingly contentious. The Armenian contingent didn’t love it. I think a big part of this is that it’s not the typical kind of “clubby” place with the big tables and the hookahs. Now those are fun, and Skaf’s is totally a lunch place with like very little evening atmosphere, but it’s food is good — and tasted very fresh. It reminded me of Sunnin from the good old days when Mama used to cook there.

Also, as usual, the Mezze are way better than the mains. They don’t even have that many mains, just some kebab and shwarma. It should also be noted that Skaf’s is well executed traditional. There is nothing “new style” here like at Mizlala. All the dishes are dishes you can find at most Lebanese (or Levantine) places, just well executed.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Gelato, hedonists, kabob, Lebanese cuisine, Mezze, Wine

Phoenicia – Hookah Time

May01

Restaurant: Phoenicia

Location: 343 N Central Ave, Glendale, CA 91203. (818) 956-7800

Date: April 7, 2019

Cuisine: Lebanese

Rating: Good Mezzes, ok mains

Chevy has been threatening to bundle us off to brow-down (Glendale) to dine patio-side at one of his favorite Lebanese Hokkah joints.

I forgot to take good scene pictures, but you can get an idea. There are several large patios. Food is pretty classic Armenian Lebanese.

Olives and pickled radish.

Warak Enab. grape leaves stuffed with rice, oil and vegetables, cooked in lemon juice with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Kibbeh Nayeh. The classic lebanese-style tartar with burghoul, onions and fresh mint

Basturma. a slice of cured beef with a crust of exotic seasonings.

Pita bread.

Hommos. a delicate mixture of garbanzo beans blended with sesame oil and lemon juice.

Baba Ghanouj. Roasted eggplant finished with tahini and lemon juice

Labni. Lebanese yogurt / cheese.

Mouhammara. A spicy dip prepared with crushed walnuts, red pepper paste, pomegranate juice and extra-virgin olive oil.

Cheese Platter. An assortment of Lebanese cheeses.

San Bousek. Freshly prepared dough with ground beef and pine nuts.

Cabbage Salad. Finely sliced cabbage marinated in olive oil and lemon juice. Middle eastern coleslaw! Really refreshing though.

Fattoush. Fresh greens in a light lemon and olive oil dressing, served with toasted pita corners and sumac.

Tabbouleh. The traditional mixture of fresh chopped italian parsley, crushed wheat, tomatoes and onions, served with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.

Kibbeh Makli. Beef dumpling stuffed with ground beef, bourghoul, onions and pine nuts. Plus “cheese cigars.”

Falafel.

Beid Kawerma. A southern lebanese specialty of ground beef with eggs, cooked and served in fakhar.

Sawda Djej / Chicken Liver. Tender pieces of chicken liver sauteed with spices and glazed with pomegranate juice or fresh lemon juice.

Lessanat. Lamb tongue, gently cooked to a tender finish with lemon and olive oil. Very soft — too soft.

Nekhaat. Lamb brain cooked in olive oil, lemon juice and garlic, served cold. I ate it, but the texture was a bit…

Lamb Shank. Braised with red wine, vegetables. Looks boring, but pretty good.

Lamb Shish Kebab. Marinated lamb fillet, broiled to perfection.

Frog Legs. Pan seared with lemon juice and cilantro.

Kastalleta. Lamb chops marinated with spices and grilled to your order. Very soft, but full of flavor.

Firri. A pair of delicately marinated quails, seasoned and pan-fried.

French fries.

(boring) Vegetables.

Aish El-Saraya. Sweetened bread drizzled with very sweet syrup and covered with cream on top. Sometimes, Aish El-Saraya is garnished with nuts. Love this stuff.

Gelato made by me:

Fresh back from Hawaii I created this new flavor with things I dragged home — Big Island — Coconut dairy base, Macadamia Nuts, and Fresh Mango — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Island Fever! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #NomNom #dessert #Hawaii #MacadamiaNuts #nuts #mango #coconut #tropical

New flavor — Limoncello Biscotti — Limoncello Zabaione base with lemon cookie flavor and Lemon Oreos — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Tastes just like lemon cookie! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #NomNom #dessert #lemon #limoncello #Zabaione #LemonCookie #Oreo #LemonOreos

Lebanese coffee.

Hookah. This was apple flavored, I think, and there is an actual apple in there.

The wines.

Chevy and his lovely wife Mary.

Despite the terrible yelp reviews (mostly whining about the service), the food was pretty good — particularly the mezzes which were mostly excellent. Some of the meats were a bit more middling. They err toward the over marinated and not “seared” enough tasting (otherwise known as soggy). Flavors were good though and it’s very reasonable. Funny service, but they treated us well. Interesting scene.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Gelato, hedonists, Hookah, Hummus, kabob, Lebanese, Lebanese cuisine, patio dining, Phoenicia

Quick Eats: Momed

Mar03

Restaurant: Momed

Location: 233 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. (310) 270-4444

Date: January 31 & April 16, 2011

Cuisine: Modern Middle Eastern

Rating: Interesting, and tasty modernized Middle Eastern.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

I met a friend here for lunch. I would have to say at it’s core this place is closest to Lebanese, but everything is very modernized for the contemporary Beverly Hills crowd. That being said, it all tasted really fresh and delicious.

The Menu can be found here.

A lot of the mezza/salads are on display. As you can see, they look pretty good.

We ordered a three “salad” plate with left to right.

1. Humammara, roasted red pepper, walnut and pomegranate. Really nice rich flavor here.

2. Spicy eggplant, oven roasted eggplant with tahini and Urfa chili. Not very spicy, but great texture.

3. Tzatziki, cucumber and yogurt dip. A fine example of the type, and I like the type.

Parsnip hummus with oven-roasted wild mushrooms. The parsnips gave this hummus the texture of very light and fluffy mashed potatoes. It was pretty darn awesome though, and nicely warm.

All these dips were really sold by this most excellent warm homemade pita. This was no “tear open the supermarket bag” pita. Soft, warm, chewy.

They call this a “pide” (traditional flatbread). Basically like a Naan crossed with a calzone or strombolli. This one is stuffed with “Ohanyan spicy soujuk sausage, red onions, piquillo peppers and akawi cheese.” I mention the strombolli because that is what this reminded me of: a really good fresh version of one of those pizza dough, pepperoni, and cheese rolls. The sausage leaked off a good amount of grease, but it was good.

The following was from a different day, April 16, 2011:

Another three salad plate, left to right:

1. Humammara, roasted red pepper, walnut and pomegranate. Really nice rich flavor here.

2. Avocado Hummus, like a cross between hummus and guacamole!

3. Tzatziki, cucumber and yogurt dip. A fine example of the type, and I like the type.

A different flatbread. Hallomi and akawi cheeses finished with Za’atar. Very nice and cheesy, with interesting and exotic flavors. Lighter than the sausage one for sure.

Yogurt-marinated chicken breast kababs with rice pilaf and marinated Persian cucumbers with chili and poppy seeds.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Beverly Hills California, Cooking, Eggplant, Fruit and Vegetable, Humammara, Hummus, Lebanese cuisine, Middle East, Momed, Naan, Pita, Red onion, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Salad, Şanlıurfa, side dishes, Tzatziki, vegetarian

Quick Eats: Sunnin

Feb24

Restaurant: Sunnin

Location: 1776 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024 (310) 475-3358

Date: December 24, 2010

Cuisine: Lebanese

Rating: Cheap tasty Lebanese

A couple years ago I had an office a couple blocks from Sunnin, and we used to go at least once a week. In those days Sunnin was across the street from where it is now, in a total hole in the wall. There they served on styrofoam with plasticware. It was it its best with “mama” behind the counter. The sons served (slowly), but the humus was amazing, and the garlic paste for the grilled chicken. Now they’ve moved across the street and they have real plates, a bigger space, and slightly higher prices. The sons still loiter about. The food hasn’t really changed.

The menu can be found HERE.

“Deep fried Cauliflower served with tahini sauce.” Fry, as usual, what’s not to like. Cauliflower has a lot of surface area, better to pick up the fry, and the sauce, which cuts the fry nicely.

“Fresh yogurt and cucumber slices mixed with garlic and dry mint.” I love yoghurt sauce, and it’s a fundamental part of what I call the “lamb yogurt flatbread continuum,” that band of culinary couplings that roles from Greece all the way to north India.

Pita.

“Sanbousek, Homemade dough stuffed with ground beef, onions and pine nuts.” Tasty thick pastry stuffed witha savory mix of meat and spices.

“Lamb Kebab. Cubes of lamb grilled on a skewer served with hommos, rice, Lebanese salad and pita bread.” Tender lamb chunks. Zesty salad, and the humus. I’ve always loved the humus here, it has a lot of garlic, and a good amount of lemon in it. Then it’s brightened up with Lebanese olive oil (I’ve seen the jugs) and paprika.