lebanos at Kailash Colony offers authentic Middle Eastern flavours at an affordable range. By Divya Kaushik
A recent archaeological study proved that Adam and Eve were actually lebanese. They had no jobs, no water, no electricity, no government, yet they were sure they were living in heaven. Don’t know how true is that but this and many other interesting notes scribbled at the end of the page and graphics was the first thing I noticed as I turned the leaf of the menu. It was impressive that the menu that listed the delectable variety from lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine was designed creatively to help the guests order with much pleasure and smile. lebanos, a newly opened café cum bar at Kailash Colony market, promises to give you an experience of bars from Beirut and authentic Middle Eastern flavours.
Archways with intricate jaali pattern, colourful lamps and customised tiles that speak volumes about the motifs from Beirut adorn the interiors. Unique play of green and yellow light is soothing. I was told that everything for the interiors has been customised as per the theme. The place opened its doors to general public in the first week of May and keeping this in mind, it is commendable that it has been able to attract attention. “Since it’s summers and we have healthy soups, cold mezze and a lot of salad options on offer, we are getting a very good response in the post lunch hours,” said chef Vishal Saxena, cuisine trainer, lebanos, who has crafted the menu keeping in mind that it is a café and people will expect some light bites. So you will find pizzas, burgers and sandwiches also in the menu. But what’s interesting is that there’s grilled falafel burger, chicken shawarma burger, kebab-e barg burger, pita pocket sandwich, lamb kibbeh wrap. There is falafel wrap, too. “I do not believe in compromising with the authenticity of the cuisine. So you will find that even while we are presenting the kibbeh and falafel as wraps or in a burger, the flavours are truly Middle Eastern. Burgers, wraps and sandwiches essentially are a part of any café but we have to be different to make them a part of our menu here,” said the chef.
As is a presumed norm while having a Middle Eastern meal, I began with cold mezze, expecting that I will be served pita bread with hummus, tzatziki, labneh-lebanese strained yogurt drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a lentil dip. All this, of course, was featured in the menu. The chef served me something different. Pistachio and pickled chilli hummus with a generous dose of olive oil. The sweet, tangy flavour combined with those of nuts was such a change to relish. The next was falafel from the hot mezze section. Needless to mention, the place is a heaven for carnivores with plethora of options. One can go for Casablanca fish skewer, fish marinated with zaatar and paprika, served with tomatoes and onion, meat kibbeh, sheefa, Arabic meat pies. But the list for vegetarians is equally tempting. “We know that chelo kebabs, donor kebabs are a part of the cuisine and there are less options for vegetarians. In our menu you will find that we give an option to prepare the dish with cheese or paneer so that even vegetarians can have a wonderful experience,” said the chef.
If you care for soups, you can go for traditional Moroccan lamb soup flavoured with garlic, cinnamon and preserved lemon, garnished with broken noodles or roasted tomato and haloumi cheese dumpling soup. While you may decide to order from the grills section or Middle Eastern speciality dishes and tagines, I recommend you must try pita pizza, a pizza prepared with pita bread as a base. It is light, healthy and you can go for the toppings of your choice.
I was waiting to be served the much-acclaimed baklawa to conclude my meal but was surprised by the variety in desert section. There’s lebanese cake, traditional Egyptian cake made of semolina, coconut, almond and a hint of orange, mahanncha with cinnamon ice cream. Try their homemade ice creams too, in flavours like rose petal, pistachio, honey, fig and cinnamon.
The best part about lebanos is that a meal here won't dig a hole in your pocket. “There are a few Middle Eastern restaurants that have come up in the city but they are either high end or are street side joints serving wraps. We wanted to start something that was in the mid-segment,” said the chef.