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2018-01-12
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Summary: Delicious and refined (not an easy task) Lebanese food in an inviting setting, though at a slightly higher price point than you might be used to. Still worth every penny and guarantee whoever you bring will enjoy it. Great for a date or business dinner.I maintain that one of Hong Kong’s better foreign cuisines is Middle Eastern – almost every place I’ve visited is at least pretty good (besides Sahara which was… bad), and some I really enjoy: e.g. Le Souk, Sultans Table, and Awtar. Zahra
I maintain that one of Hong Kong’s better foreign cuisines is Middle Eastern – almost every place I’ve visited is at least pretty good (besides Sahara which was… bad), and some I really enjoy: e.g. Le Souk, Sultans Table, and Awtar. Zahrabel though, might be the best of them all.
On the 25th floor of the Wanchai building with Pirata and Optimist (side note: those places have really declined haven’t they?), Zahrabel’s floor-to-ceiling windows allow a classic HK view of the buildings directly across the street, though with the warm lighting and expansive tables, the somewhat isolated ambience works. Service is generous and knowledgeable, with great recommendations for food and helpful samplers of dishes and wine we weren’t familiar with. The restaurant was over half-full but I never had to pour a glass of wine for the table, the servers were so on it.
I absolutely recommend the sampling menu, though you should stick with the 6 dishes (or less), which should provide enough variety at a manageable quantity. We had the 8 dishes option (only the 8 dish choice is 20% off on Tuesday) but it was way too much food, delicious though everything was. Unlimited pita (white and wholemeal) is included with the food. Here is a list of dishes we tried, all of which were at least good, with some being absolutely delicious;
Fatoush (Lebanese Salad)
Given how much meat will arrive by the end of this meal, I’d recommend this salad even if it was just chopped iceberg. Fortunately it’s delicious anyway; huge portion of diced tomatoes, shredded Romaine and sliced onions topped with an excellent middle-eastern (Sumac-based I think) dressing, along with pita croutons which soak all that olive oil upBaba Ghanoush (eggplant dip)
A mild baba ghanoush that allows eggplant’s subtle flavour to come out, and doesn’t overdo the tahini or salt – not overbearing like the other dishes, so it’s great as a soothing / balancing mezze
Jos Mahrouse (Lebanese spicy nut dip)
Spectacular flavour – I have no idea how they make this garlicky and spicy nut spread but it’s a must-try. Recommended as a house-speciality, I wasn’t too keen on the idea, but it ends up more like a hummus rather than a bunch of ground up nuts. Delicious.
Falafel (Chickpea patty)
Homemade falafel, if a bit too fried for my taste, works really well with the mystery orange sauce that accompanies it. I personally feel that falafel belongs in sandwiches with tahini and vegetables, and this style felt a bit heavy to me. Still a great example of falafel if you like it.
Kefta Kebab (minced lamb kebab with spices)
Lamb KebabI’m very hesitant about ordering kebabs because it’s like 50/50 that they come out rock hard and inedible. Have no fear though because the kefta and lamb kebabs were both juicy, soft and incredibly flavourful. Even people who generally don’t like lamb will gobble these up. I love kefta and they were delicious as expected, but the lamb kebabs really shone.
Chicken Elmina (Pulled Chicken with mint, herbs and lemon)
Interesting dish that I’ve never tried before – a bit sour for some of my friends, but the herbs give it a complexity that slays when you stuff it in some pita. I didn’t take a picture because frankly it doesn’t look very good. Give it a shot if you’ve tired of the standard kebabs.
Fousulieh with Lamb (Lamb and bean stew)
This was the dish of the night for me – I’m a sucker for bean and meat stews at their worst, but somehow they’ve infused the lamb with unbelievable flavour, which bleeds through into the whole stew. With the rice it’s phenomenal. A must-order.
Kibbe b’il Laban (Small minced Lamb balls with Yogurt)
The kibbe were tasty but since they were drowned in a sort of yogurt sauce, they lose the crunchiness of the normal mezze serving and then become just a heavy lamb meatball. Good not great. Would have preferred the sauce on the side as more of a dip?We also had three types of Lebanese wine – all quite fruity and light (even the red) but appropriate for the food I think. About HKD 400/bottle and worth the price. There was no way we could finish it, but along with coffee/mint tea, they served a round of pretty good Baklava (though I'm not much of a dessert person so don't take my word for it)
Overall, I resist calling Zahrabel a great Lebanese restaurant because I’d hate for people to think of it so narrowly; it’s a great restaurant full-stop. Delicious, flavour-packed food without a lot of pomp and nonsense, great ambience and service, and some unusual recipes I’d never tried before. For the 6 dishes sharing menu it’ll run you about HKD 380++ per person for just the food, but recommend you try some wine as well. It's a bit more than middle-eastern food usually goes for in HK, but it's worth it. Definitely make some space in your date / celebration / business dinner calendar for Zahrabel.
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