Ishbilia

The rustic flavours of Lebanese food are enjoying a renewal of interest, and with restaurants like Ishbilia serving this pleasing Middle Eastern fare, the cuisine with its Arabic and Mediterranean influences, has become increasingly popular. Cold mezza of thin slices of smoked beef fillet in special sauces or moussaka batinjan, fried aubergine cooked with tomatoes, chick peas, sweet peppers, garlic, onion and spices are delightful ways to begin your meal.

Hot mezza such as makanek, lamb cocktail sausages fried in olive and lemon juice or the well known falafel, fried croquettes of ground chick peas, broad beans, and herbs served with tahine sauce are heart warming fillers. You could also order from the numerous grills such as lahem meshwi, char grilled skewers of tender lamb cubes grilled with tomatoes and onions or the uniquely flavoured spiced minced lamb with parsley and onions, slowly baked in concentrated pomegranate juice.

Desserts such as rich Lebanese pastries are not to be missed. An extensive wine list offers well known pleasures, mingled with some you may not have come across before.