Lebanese and proud, a Lebanese concept newly open in Muscat, for a month only, has been serving flavors of our land and traditional recipes from Zahle. Charbel is born in 1976 written clearly on the menu: “Zehlawi since 1976”. A marketeer and communication specialist, Charbel shows it in the beautiful photos displayed on the menu.
A homey Lebanese house, Charbel welcomes you in a cozy ambiance down at Al Khuwair; assisted by his lovely wife, he makes sure to serve you in person; Charbel takes the order, serves tea and stay close by to make your experience a memorable one.
A bar with few chairs facing it, like a café, and another dining room down the hall. Relaxing sofas, wooden tables and a handful of photos from Lebanon and the Mediterranean; I was happy to see photos of Anjar, Saida, and Jbeil among others. I felt at home and was excited to try the food.
On the menu, find a selection of salads, cold appetizers, hot appetizers, barbecue and grill platters, pottery, international grill platters, bakery, sandwiches, desserts drinks, coffee.
Lunch starts with a complimentary plate of Labneh and another of freshly baked and toasted Kaak; even though it’s not the same quality of Labneh we use in Lebanon, it tastes just fine.
I loved the food; I really loved the food: A homey Lebanese cuisine!
- A homey hummus, a light bodied garlic-free hummus, decorated with fresh chickpeas and olive oil. I loved the hummus!
- Baba ghannouj, moist and creamy Baba ghannouj, intensely and pleasantly lemony with an enjoyable texture.
- The stuffed grapevine leaves made me remember my grandma, big-sized, well cooked, lemony: tender, acidic and very tasty.
- Even though prepared without onions, the tabbouleh is great! Well balanced, beautifully textured and really tasty. Fresh parsley, juicy tomatoes and the adequate amount of sauce.
Details I liked:
- I loved the plates imported from Casablanca where Charbel’s wife originates from.
- Fresh bread prepared a-la-minute. Good quality bread.
- Some of the food is served on wooden platters.
More food was yet to come:
- Kebbeh Zehlawiyyeh, looking like a pocket, Kebbeh Zghertawiyeh is stuffed with minced meat. The Kebbeh is terrific, thin and tender with a light crispy endnote and the filling is juicy and not chewy.
- Potato cubes served in a pottery casserole, golden cubes of potato marinated in spices but unfortunately not cooked enough like all potatoes in Oman; it’s the quality of the potatoes.
- The mixed grill platter is the only thing I’ll completely change: the meat is way too hard, chicken has way too much garlic, and kafta is dry.
A great experience! $33 and worth every penny.
