I remember a couple of years back when I began to embrace
the healthier lifestyle, the thought of dinner with friends was much
more sacrificial-like than enjoyable. Quite naturally, you cannot
persuade a group of people to eat at one particular place due to their
'finer healthy options'. Over time however, I have accumulated quite the
list of restaurants that offer healthy options as well as being a
restaurant for those who aren't carbophobes to enjoy! As part of my 'Salad Struggles' I'm going to share with
you my experience at
Comptoir Libanais, and hopefully show you that
healthy does not need to be the same routine supermarket salad.
"It’s food that’s affordable and easy to
know – healthy, light and you can enjoy it every day of the week.
Comptoir Libanais means Lebanesse counter and that’s exactly what it is:
somewhere you can eat casually, with no fuss.”
The creator of Comptoir Libanais, Tony Kitous, describes
his Middle Eastern restaurants as a casual alternative to Lebanese food - where street style food meets traditional dishes.
The Restaurant:
First,
let me begin by saying that once you set foot into a Comptoir Libanis
restaurant, you will feel that you have just entered a mini Marrakech
Souk. You will find yourself surrounded by gift boxes of baklava and
Turkish delight, meanwhile traditional Arabic music playing in the
background. The restaurants have added a twist on the traditional
Lebanese sandwich bars, by adding a variety of colours and patterns in
forms of seating decor and wall art, adding a particular vibrancy to
your experience.
The Menu:
What
I love about this particular Middle Eastern restaurant, is the menu.
Although kept very traditional with the standard falafel, shawarma
wraps, haloumi etc. You can instantly see the effort and creativity gone
into compiling the perfect menu with the variety of drinks on offer -
both alcoholic and non. I opted for the frozen mint, lemon and lime
lemonade and I can assure you I haven't stopped thinking about it since!
The food menu is also similar in it's ability to cater to your
requirements - with a variety of both hot and cold mezze, you and your
friends can opt for a Tapas style meal. This is ideal if you are not
familiar with Middle Eastern food as it allows to explore the variety of
tastes in smaller portions. If you would prefer a set meal you can opt
for a wrap, or for an extra £1 you can receive your wrap in a platter
form accompanied with hummus and salad. Here's where the healthy gets
speaking, the salad options! There are a few salad choices, and I opted
for the haloumi salad (extremely generous with their haloumi) with a
cheeky side of falafel (I can't do Lebanese without the falafel, that
would be rude..right?).
The experience:
I'm
a firm believer of stepping out of your food comfort zone, and trying
new types of cuisine on offer. Although this was by no means my first
try of Lebanese food, it was my first visit to this particular
restaurant and I was pleasantly surprised at how a few unique touches
created a far more special experience.
I
hope this encourages you to give this restaurant a visit. Do you have
any other restaurant recommendations? I'm always trying to find new
places and would love to hear some of your favourites.
Saina
xo
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