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Nestled amidst the lush greenery of Al Azhar Park, the lakeside café serves topquality Lebanese fast food in addition to a few Western favourites. The juxtaposition of tasty salads, mezze and grilled meats with cream-cheese steaks and burgers complicates the decision-making process. After lunch (or dinner) enjoy a pleasant stroll through the park, admiring the verdant foliage and the impressive view of the citadel.
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Yes, that is a giant coffee cup and pot sharing Cedars’ garden with you. Ignore this bizarre aberration and turn instead to the menu of excellent Lebanese food. Grilled meats are delicious here and the mezze are impeccably fresh. Try the tabouleh and fantastically creamy hummus. Cedars’ shady outdoor terrace is a good place to while away a summer afternoon sipping fresh juices (try mango or lemon), nibbling at mezze or puffing on a shisha. A sophisticated spot with prompt, courteous service.
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Appropriately located on Midan Libnan (Lebanon Square), Maroosh sports a sprawling and delicious menu, showing diners how Middle Eastern food should be done. Meals are best begun with an assortment of mezze (try the shenklish, or thyme cheese) and topped off with a slow-puffing shisha (for an extra, off-menu treat, ask the waiter to add mint in the pipe water). In between these bookends, if you’re genuinely hungry, try the delicious chicken fattah (pie). Maroosh also has an air-conditioned upstairs room offering a respite from the bustling traffic and summer heat.
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Tucked away on a shady street in the diplomatic quarter of Garden City, Taboula is a favourite with embassy workers. Inside it’s cool and furnished in tasteful Middle-Eastern melange style. The Lebanese menu runs the gamut of usual choices, all exquisitely prepared and served with a smile by the discreet, friendly staff. The home-baked bread is some of the best in town. Prices can mount up surprisingly swiftly, but if you’re after a chic lunch in beautiful surroundings, Taboula is a solid bet.
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