Say Al-Lubnāniyyah!

Till last Sunday, my experience with Lebanese cuisine wasn’t anything to write home about. I had tried Lebanese kebabs here and there, but it had always been bland on the tongue, and always been costly. But I knew something didn’t add up since those weren’t the kind of reviews I used to hear from people who’ve tried it big time. The thought suddenly came up last Saturday – on a surprisingly slow afternoon when even a classic like Flags of our Fathers didn’t tie me too much to the seat.

That’s when I hit upon the idea of checking out one of those exotic places in Chennai, and I knew where to head for opinions. IndiaMike.com is the forum where expatriates move around quite frequently, and wine and dine discussions really have a lot of credibility. A quick check, and I zeroed-in on the unobtrusive Lebanese Restaurant that actually happened to be on my everyday office route.

I ain’t going to write too much since Chandoo has done all the writing, and I love flicking:

I was pleasantly surprised to find the place to be quite spacious and big. The walls were decorated with photographs from Lebanon and other Mediterranean countries. The décor itself was simple and charming. Smooth and unobtrusive Arabian music filled the air.

We started out with HumMus, a chickpea paste made by adding lemon and garlic juices along with pita bread. We also ordered few drinks to go with it, and most of them were house specialties - date syrup, a refreshing mint juice etc. The waiter was kind enough to explain each dish he brought along.

Going there: Cedars is on Gandhi Mandapam Road, on the left side if you are coming from Anna university / IIT.
Must Haves: Jelab / Mint Dew / Shawarma / HumMus / Hookah if you like

In all, it’s 5 stars to this place. Authentic-sounding Lebanese cuisine that is delicious; a neat and quiet ambience; knowledgeable waiters; and soothing music. It would cost about 400 Rs on your pocket per head, but it’s just worth the experience. Apart from stocking up your socializing vocabulary, you could actually spend a nice evening sipping one of those very-exotic mocktails.

Here’s hoping to write a review every time I visit an exotic restaurant. Hmm, wish I had 36 hours in a day!