If you ever want to take a break from the oversaturated Chinese and Indian restaurants, Al Amar in Dhanmondi and Gulshan offers some mouthwatering Lebanese food for you to try.
Al-Amar spoils you for choice in Lebanese cuisine. "We have a lot of Indian and Chinese food in Dhaka, we thought Lebanese would be new and out-of-the-box," said Al Amar's manager Farhad Hossain.
Food
Lahem Meshwi is one of their main dishes from the kebab section.
These chunks of lamb grilled with onions make for some of the most fork-tender melt-in-your-mouth kebabs.
Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneThe specialty is that it is both smoky from the char while being moist and zesty from the dried lemon thyme.
Cooked in an open flame with a diligent rub of paprika, salt, and pepper, they are jaw-droppingly good.
Paired with bite-sized parathas, these kebabs make your Lebanese dreams come true.
While the taste is exquisite and surpasses expectations, the plating for these kingly kebabs is subpar, with a distorted look.
However, once you let the kebabs melt in your mouth, nothing else matters because you swoon over the zesty-smoky-charred tumultuous flavours in a way that you will not want to keep your eyes open.
Among their carefully prepared salads, their fan favourite is a Fattoush salad, a mix of seasonal red and green vegetables, including lettuce, tomatoes, and green peppers tossed generously in olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, mint, sumac, and pomegranate.
Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneStill, this tangy dressing is just the beginning, the master ingredient and the star are the bread crumbs and pieces of pita bread that make it an unforgettably textured salad and delight at every bite.
The crunch with the tangy zest is just what you need to keep you going in for this bowl of salad.
The fragrance from the olive oil is the cherry on top you will not mind but want more of.
How can we not talk about Falafel when Lebanese cuisine is mentioned? And yes. They got that right too.
These falafels are rich herby balls of chickpea goodness.
This delectable mixture of ground chickpeas meshed in parsley, cilantro, green chilli peppers, whole spices, sesame paste, salt, and black pepper to taste is a winner of a dish.
Molded into deep-fried patties garnished with sesame seeds, it is dark brown with a crackling exterior and lush green stuffing, enticing your taste buds with a rich, savoury palate.
Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneServed with a Tahini sauce adding a splash of lemon juice, this Mediterranean rendition is one for the books, and this fattoush is the salad you will order again once you return. Mark our words.
Last but not least, their creamy white bean hummus is perfect. This cannellini bean hummus is a blend of onion powder, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and tahini on a bed of generously drizzled olive oil and a cicer (chickpea) leaf right at the centre of the adorning the plate of hummus, and you have a delectable side of mouth-watering hummus served in front of you.
Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneThe price range for a meal at Al Amar ranges from Tk285 to as high as Tk16,000.
Ambience
Nestled in Dhanmondi, large red emblems are dotted across the walls as you enter.
The lights shine through the hardwood floors and onto the walls.
Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneThe dark charcoal seats hide in plain sight behind the sleek black granite tables, strikingly contrasting the glass walls with bold red patterns.
Challenges
Opened in 2015, the eight-year-old Lebanese restaurant severely suffered during the Covid-19 Pandemic in March 2020.
However, business gradually picked back up with the help of an increase in prices post-pandemic.
"When business started picking up again after the pandemic, we were left with no choice but to increase our prices for survival," Hossain said
The current inflation hikes do not help matters.
However, they have refrained from further increasing their prices.
"We haven't increased the prices even though the prices for ingredients are skyrocketing," He added.
Customer influx has taken a hit due to a discernible shift in the price for ingredients.
"Since there's a noticeable increase in price for everything right now, I don't think people are inclined towards eating out as much or might find food that is cheaper elsewhere," he also said.
Verdict
Book a table at Al Amar if you want a taste of authentic Lebanese food this Ramadan and want to be wowed by the salad, the hummus, and the soft succulent kebabs.
