Libanonske meze in Ljubljana

With Katka we met in the center after work. First, we went to Pritličje for a drink, so that we can decide in peace where we will go to eat something for a late lunch – an early dinner. We haven’t made it clear, but we say to each other that we are going along Trubarjeva Street, where there are many restaurants, and we will sit down wherever we are attracted. We actually saw quite a few potential places, but we were drawn to the Middle Eastern restaurant Libanske Meze, which opened after a break at 6 p.m. The tables at the front filled up quickly, so we went to the garden at the back.

Lebanese cuisine, as part of the Middle Eastern tradition, is known for hummus, bulgur, pita bread, sesame, meat delicacies… Here the dishes are served as meze (a kind of appetizer), and you can make a selection of several dishes and try new and different tastes. After consulting with the waitress, we decide on the Arak Ksarak aperitif, followed by a mix of stuffed rolls in different doughs and a mix of skewers and Baba Ghannouj spread. Pita bread (Khubz Arabi) is served alongside and Katka drunk Lebanese red wine while I continued with beer.

Arak Ksarak

Arak is a spirit that is widespread in the Eastern Mediterranean. The basis is grape berry compote. Anise gives it a strong aroma similar to Bronhi candies. The drink has the special feature that if water is added to it, a milky emulsion is formed from the transparent drink. Similar to Raki in Turkey, Ouzo in Greece or Sombuca in Italy. Of course, this drink is consumed while eating meze. The Ksarak brand was created under the tutelage of monks in the 19th century.

Ajinat 

Ajinat is a mixture of different types of pockets with different filling. Fatayer Sbenegh is a fried triangular pocket where it is wrapped in a dough filling with spinach, olive oil and lemon. Raaket Jibneh are fried puff pastry rolls filled with young cheese and parsley. Sambousak Lahm is a fried dough shaped into freckles and filled with ground beef and seasoned with cinnamon and pomegranate molasses. Although all three types are related, they are different; dough, filling and shape. Perhaps I liked the cheese wrap the best, Katka detects cinnamon in meat wraps. Definitely an interesting dish, with the fillings roughly reminiscent of Bosnian pies.

Nabodala

For the meat part, we ordered a mixture of three skewers, which are served in a nice pan with a side of sauteed vegetables (zucchini, onion, carrot, tomato). The Shish Kebab was a veal skewer that didn’t have an overpowering taste. Kofta Kebab was a skewer of minced mutton that had a strong aroma. Shish Taouk is a skewer with chicken. All three skewers are marinated in different sauces, for me the chicken had the biggest difference, and the minced meat had a strong aroma so I had to eat the whole thing.

Baba Ghannouj

This is a dip whose main ingredient is eggplant. Malacan baked in the oven is mixed with tahini paste (sesame), garlic, parsley and lemon. The decoration is olive oil and pomegranate seeds. It is eaten with the aforementioned pita bread. It adds some freshness to fried dishes and meat. Although I’m not a fan of eggplant, I found it very tasty when prepared this way. As an interesting fact, the translation of the name should mean “spoiled father” (baba – father, ganoush – spoiled).

Summary

We were both delighted with our choice. Lebanese Meze is a restaurant we will return to. We also chose several different dishes, so that we could try and decide what would be a popular choice in the future. The tables in the back garden are a little removed from the hustle and bustle of Trubarjeva Street, but it still has a pleasant atmosphere with a small herb garden on the side. The staff was friendly and helped with the selection. The bill came for exactly €50, plus a 10% tip.

Before heading home, we stopped at TOZD for a drink.