Eau de Vie is very much part of the Phoenicia Hotel and yet has its own character and clientele, this illustrates its strength as a stand alone restaurant. It is located on the top floor of the hotel building and boasts stunning views of the city and a relaxed but smart ambience.
Excited about the prestigious experience, we dressed to impress and spent hours perfecting our outfits… to mark the occasion I even braved stepping out in heels! Arriving during ‘Earth Hour’ we saw the restaurant romantically lit only by candles… a glorious glimmering sight.
Eau de Vie focuses on French cuisine, with chef Rabih Fouany in the kitchen. It was a gastronomic feast, three courses of beautifully constructed food and exemplary service to match.
Joined by our new Lebanese friend, Peggy, we began our meal chatting about our Beirut discoveries thus far. To accompany the fresh bread, we sampled a few cocktails, which seems to be becoming a bit of a bad habit for me. Refreshing and fruity, they were stylish drinks to match the trendy surroundings. Music was provided by various live acts who played and sung while we ate, interweaving through the diners. White wine carefully chosen by the sommelier was brought to suit our food choices, I received a fine Lebanese wine that suited my nutty salad and red meat.
The huge list of starters was very daunting with enough variety to satisfy even the fussiest eater. We chose an assortment of salads to trial: Marine lobster salad, mini tomato tart & wild rocket, Warm toasted goat’s cheese crostini, baby leaf salad, dried apricots & walnut, and Endive salad, pecan and Roquefort vinaigrette. The portions are generous, and the salads in particular lend themselves to sharing. Each dish was fresh with thoughtful mixes of ingredients and well balanced textures. My goat’s cheese salad was delicious, warm and crunchy crostini on a bed of well dressed leaves complimented by the sweet apricots and walnuts.
Our waiters were on standby for any enquiry we might have… I have never experienced quite such attentive service, proved when one guy ran to my rescue with a special oil stains spray… after I managed to flick my greasy fork right onto my new silk Halston Heritage playsuit. Spraying the material efficiently with the magic stuff he saved my dignity and outfit ahead of our big night out.
Previously I have been very disappointed with wagyu meat and I’d stopped believing the guarantees of ‘the best steak you will ever taste’… but at Eau de Vie our waiter promised me their Australian wagyu Tenderloin steak was unmissable and unsurpassable… so I opted for it with Cajun spiced fries. It was unbelievably good, the most tender and wonderfully flavoured meat I have experienced to date. The chips were a little oversalted for me, but very yummy nonetheless, and the peppercorn sauce was the darkest brown hue with an equally deep and rich flavour. It complemented the sensational tones of the marbled meat. My friends tried the Hand carved salmon from the trolley and the Wild seabass grilled fillet, Mediterranean vegetables & sea scallops “Cromesquis”. I tried the seabass and was amazed by the light and unique flavour. The sauce, made with champagne was perfectly seasoned and very moreish. The salmon carved by our table was divinely fresh.
Desserts were delightful, simple and classic with an artistic twist. I greedily picked the trio of crème brulees, miniature dishes with three flavours of the creamy pudding. I guessed them to be vanilla, chocolate and blueberry though with the flavours changing daily it was difficult to be sure. They were delicate and sweet, cold beneath the warm, toasted sugary top, they were perhaps a little thin but had a delicious taste. We also tried the Crunchy chocolate praline with salt caramel and chocolate enrobed vanilla ice cream and the Manjari chocolate fondant with pistachio ice cream and sauce Anglaise, which were both delicious. After our meal we were introduced to some new friends and while listening to the lively singing we drank fresh mint tea and tried the Pain Perdu for which the restaurant is famous… a soft and velvety sponge, a cross between French toast and cake.
With bravura music and magnificent food, Eau de Vie offers reason alone to visit the Phoenicia Hotel. I hope I get the chance to return and sample the rest of the menu… and maybe even get up and sing with the band. We enjoyed an unforgettably vibrant night here and I would recommend this 5 star restaurant to both visitors to Beirut and those who call it home.
Visit the website here for more information and to book.
Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled with bmi, British Midland International. British Midland International flies direct from London Heathrow to Beirut offering ten flights per week. Flights are twice daily on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays with a daily service on all other days. Fares are available from £485 return including all taxes and charges. For more information and to book visit www.flybmi.com