Tag Archives: Beirut

Mosaic restaurant, Phoenicia, Beirut

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The newly renovated Mosaic Buffet Restaurant has to be one of the most memorable features of the Phoenicia Hotel, for me an avid food lover… it is THE most memorable thing.

Tired from the previous night’s clubbing and bar-hopping, it is a wonder I managed to stumble out of bed before 11 every morning for the Phoenicia breakfast. This is a morning feast you do not want to miss and I ensured I never did, desperate for my coffee and croissant fix. Little did I know, the excitement continues for other mealtimes with equally impressive displays. I went to experience lunch at Mosaic with the lovely Phoenicia PR girls.

The buffet is presented in a spacious hall, much like a smart school canteen. Overlooking the marina with large light filled windows, I personally always prefer being able to see what I’m eating so loved having a meal there. We took a tour round the food: traditional and modern, Lebanese, European and International even Indian and Oriental food represented. The restaurant offers every Middle Eastern dish you could ever hope to try and a huge variety of other treats too. Dishes change regularly according to season and I’ve heard the Friday seafood nights are legendary! It is set out as an open kitchen space, with exciting and engaging displays and live cooking stations so guests can partake in the process, choosing ingredients and watch the food being made… I had great fun deciding which sauces, toppings and vegetables to have!

To start I chose a selection of Lebanese pastries, salads, breads and cheeses – all extremely fresh and light, intensely flavoured with herbs and seasoned deliciously. I particularly loved the popular tabbouleh salad which can be made according to your preference. The highlight though was the chicken and beef Sharwarma served with salad, tomatoes, garlic mayonnaise and pickles… this is insanely tasty grilled meat shaved off the rotating cooker… it was tender with a salty crispy edge, completely moreish and addictive. As it is cooked so close to the seating area all the food arrives piping hot and straight from the oven… it is the ideal layout to taste the food at its very best. If someone could make Chicken Sharwarma this good in London, I would insist on gorging on it every day.

I was amazed to discover that the other cuisines Mosaic offers are just as wonderful, prepared and presented with care and attention using the freshest ingredients. The lamb curry in the Indian section was fragrant and delicious, with soft meat off the bone and an authentically spiced sauce and the pasta was incredibly scrumptious and satisfying.

Dessert was a rollercoaster of indecision… sweets of every kind, lined up beautifully. The Phoenicia have two pastry chefs, for the Lebanese traditional pastries and for the delicate Parisian treats. I returned to my table greedily with two plates of colourful cakes. My favourite were the pretty macaroons, homemade in turquoise, pale pink and yellow, but it was all good. The crème brulee was creamy and light, chocolate cake was soft and indulgent and the mini eclairs were adorable and very easy to gobble up.

We finished with traditional thick Lebanese coffee, quite different to the English, bitter and strong but the sweet man in traditional dress was too endearing to refuse.

Mosaic provides fantasy feasts for guests at every mealtime, it is one of the unique features that makes the Phoenicia such a special hotel.

Opens Everyday:
Breakfast 7:30 to 11:30 am
Lunch 12:00 to 4:00 pm
Dinner 8:00 pm to 1:00 am

More information here.

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

Presidential Suite, Phoenicia, Beirut

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The Phoenicia Hotel has recently restored three of their smartest Presidential Suites ready for guests desiring the ultimate, opulent stay. I was one of the first lucky few to sample the rooms, and consequently on my precious last night in my beloved Beirut, I slept like a Queen.

Opening the door to the Presidential Suite was a fairy tale moment. The apartment revealed seemed unreal… a pristine series of rooms, immaculately arranged and presented. The colour scheme is different to the standard rooms and suites, here the shades are classic and calming, pretty pale blues that gives the suite a sophisticated and fresh feel. It is gorgeous understated luxury, the softest fabrics, the comfiest mattresses, the most powerful showers; everything ensures you have the perfect stay.

For fear of losing my possessions in the spacious rooms, I didn’t dare put anything down. There are two impressive bedrooms, each with epic King size beds, huge plasma screen TVs, sofas, and best of all, extraordinary views over Beirut and the sea. Along with the bedrooms, I tried out all three bathrooms, the grand living room (which is more like a ballroom), the smart meeting room, a small kitchen (equipped with my favourite Nespresso coffee machine), and walk in wardrobe! The main bedroom has a quite astounding en suite bathroom complete with sauna and Jacuzzi and ample floor space to hold a small dance class.

My words do not do justice to this palace apartment, but I hope you can see the beauty and extravagance in the photos I took as a memory of my stay in this spectacular suite and as a souvenir of my one and only night as a President!

Visit the Phoenicia website here for more information.

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

Sydney’s, Vendome Hotel, Beirut

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In Beirut we visited Sydney’s every morning for breakfast, but one evening we were treated to supper at the resident Vendome restaurant.

Along with our new best friend Jennifer, from the Vendome PR team we enjoyed a lovely girly meal, chatting while sipping wine and sharing the plates of food. Sydney’s is currently the only restaurant at Vendome but later this year La Petite Maison will open downstairs serving simple and delicious French cuisine.

It was early evening (everyone eats later in Lebanon) and the restaurant was eerily quiet. The most striking feature of this restaurant is its epic panoramic view which spans the whole venue. A few Beirut boys had mentioned it as their favourite ‘date’ location in the city! It is easy to gaze out of the window and get lost in your thoughts, but we had food to eat and gossip to share, so I resisted daydreaming. It is a luxurious and homely environment, the lounge is kitted out with comfy armchairs and tables – a calm place to indulge in an evening cigar. Sydney’s seems like the ideal venue for a meal anytime of the day with friendly accommodating staff and quick service; it is an enjoyable and relaxing place to dine.

The menu offers a selection of continental style food, it was a shame not to see more Lebanese inspired cuisine, a style of food I have grown quite attached to. We were brought homemade ultra thin potato crisps and dips to nibble on, all very moreish, whetting our appetite for the meal to come. Knowing the menu and its assets well, Jennifer advised us on the most popular dishes. I love Lebanese wine and the white we were offered was perfect, crisp and light and very drinkable – it accompanied our meal perfectly.

We started with the homemade foie gras made from duck liver and goat’s cheese and fig salad.  I am not a big foie gras fan and found it too rich and sadly too oleaginous to enjoy. The salad was a lovely light and fresh first course, a combination of sweet and savoury ingredients that married well together. The vibrant contrast of dried figs and vinegary sweet dressing was delicious with very fresh crunchy leaves and lovely soft cheese that I would have liked a bit more of!

We chose Italian style mains: and found that the ravioli and risotto was enough to provide for the three of us. Both were wonderful, the rice laced with fresh basil and other herbs and really accentuating the lively Mediterranean vibe. I am highly critical of ravioli as it is my favourite food, and the recipe at Sydney’s was very appealing. Ricotta and Spinach filled pasta with a light and subtle tomato sauce, sprinkled in parmesan. The pasta was cooked perfectly and I was appreciative of the sauce which had clearly been made with whole cherry tomatoes rather than the easier tinned.

The speciality basil pesto risotto was very simple and classic: I never order risotto, usually finding it too heavy but this recipe was delicious and I could have easily started on a second portion! The Vendome clearly understand that over-complicating Italian food can ruin it and here the high quality ingredients were left to shine.

Desserts are offered first on a platter, so you can look and pick which takes your fancy… an absolutely brilliant idea I thought… although if your eyes dictate your eating, it could be dangerous as they all look so good. Eager and greedy, I actually tried to lift my chosen puddings off the tray not realising that the waiter would bring us new fresh portions! The Baba au Rhum was divine… flavoured subtly with rum – it was melt in the mouth soft and oozing with sugary sauce. Our second dessert was the Sydney’s Tiramisu which looked too enticing on the tray not to try. Light but lavish with dollops of fresh whipped cream, coffee-soaked sponge and chocolate – we scoffed it down in minutes.

Sydney’s provides guests at the Vendome with a charming restaurant for every meal of the day. The food isn’t show-offy, but the setting is and for an evening meal with friends, it is a lovely place to eat and admire the breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.

Visit the website for more information here.

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