Let Beirut Khanum Take You Back in Time to Your Grandmother’s Kitchen

  • Category: Food
  • April 16, 2019

Let Beirut Khanum Take You Back in Time to Your Grandmother’s Kitchen

A home-away-from-home culinary concept that has recently launched in Downtown Dubai, Beirut Khanum merges a trendy, modern setting with ‘forgotten Lebanese dishes’ that will transport you on a culinary journey back in time to your grandmother’s kitchen. The menu is also inspired by the powerful, aristocratic woman—Al Khanum—a title used for women of upper standing in the Middle East and South Asia.

Wooden floors, cozy booths, and Levant styled lighting makes Beirut Khanum a comfortable, social styled eatery in the midst of Downtown Dubai, with two indoor rooms and one outdoor area. The menu has the familiar Lebanese dishes we all know and love—hummus, moutabel, and kebbeh in yogurt—which lent that comforting feeling as we navigated through their menu which listed dishes we had not heard of.

So we started with baskets of fresh-from-the-oven Lebanese breads accompanied by hummus, moutabel, and fattoush. A dish we had never tried was served—foul bel zeit—a satisfying mix of spinach and fava beans, simmered slowly to create a satisfying dry stew.

Other mezze dishes included mixed stuffed vegetables—my favorite was the stuffed white onions amongst the bell pepper, zucchini, and lemon. Another new dish was the tiny meatballs in a cherry reduction sauce garnished by pistachio slivers which was neither sweet, nor sour, but a really nice blend of both flavors. And the halloumi with herbs was a simple dish that merged the salty flavors of halloumi cheese with the herbs and tomato.

The best part of Lebanese food is that the wide assortment of mezze—both hot and cold—is a healthy meal in itself. As we noshed on these, our mains arrived and included a mixed grill platter with shish tawook, kafta, and baked bread on top. Another, the potato harira, was exactly the way I like it, with a splash of lemon juice, and as our server helpfully suggested, generously dipped in the fresh garlic paste. But our unanimous favorite and something entirely new for us was Basha Wa Aassakro, similar to kibbeh in yogurt sauce, but with delicious tender morsels of mutton and soft dumplings in a creamy yogurt sauce that is highly recommended.

Sweet treats not to be missed; we opted for the Kunafa—a crispier version of a traditional favorite, and the Halewet Al Jebn—delectable rolls of soft, sweet cheese dough stuffed with clotted cream and garnished with pistachios.  A drizzle of orange blossom syrup completes the treat. And finally, the Nammoura Bel Ashta—an Arabic dessert with ashta (clotted cream) encased in a semolina-butter cake and flavored with orange blossom water.

The Verdict: Beirut Khanum has really hit the mark for high-quality, home-style Lebanese food. Even the hummus and moutabel here are top notch as are the other dishes. And an unparalleled location and great service makes Beirut Khanum a must-visit for delicious, out-of-the-box Lebanese food.

Visit: https://www.instagram.com/beirutkhanum/