I happend to be in Jbeil last night and I was craving for a good old fashioned steak. By nature, I am very fussy about my food. I am the sort of person who likes my steak simple and honest. I have always found it hard to find a good steak in Lebanon being a country of great cuisine, we fail miserably when it comes to steak and this is because most restaurants come up with their 'theories' of how a steak should be cooked and then end up overdoing it and spoiling the taste altogether.
We arrived at Mother, the restaurant, in Jbeil and were immediately welcomed by a warm and cosy feeling. The restaurant is located in the Old Town Jbeil halfway down and unmissable on your walk through the old market. We sat outside an enjoyed the views and good weather. Under the patronage of Mr. Shadi Adoum, the staff were friendly, warm and worked in perfect harmony. You can always tell if the staff are proud and pleased with their jobs and if they are then you are guaranteed good food. There was no shortage of good food last night...
We ordered two salads, a 'Winter' salad and a green mix salad. Both were fresh, the greens were shiny and beautiful. The dressings were well balanced to present yo with a tangy bit and at the same time, a full body of flavours. Along with the salads we were offered hot bread and cottage cheese. This was so good, I could have spent the whole evening merrily eating this simple delicacy.
Our wine was Ksara - Reserve Du Couvent (red) - slightly chilled. To the uninitiated, this particular wine, is best enjoyed cold, well at least this is my preference. Be prepared to ordera couple of bottles of this fine treasure...
The steaks were ordered and mine was the Entrecote - Rare! I always love my steak as rare. I believe the only way to enjoy a good steak, the flavours and juices are when you cook it just enough to consume safely and not any more. After placing my order, I went to observe the chef in action and was pleasantly surprised. Our steaks were find cuts, fresh and pink and a generous helping. The steaks sizzled away on an open grill and in true fashion, they were being cooked on a strong fire to seal the juices inside. Observing the chef at work I was in no doubt that I was about to receive a real treat.
Soon we were tucking in to the finest steaks we have ever tasted in Lebanon! My steak was cooked to perfection, charred and well done on the outside, nice and tender, pink and edging to red on the inside... crunchy grains of sea salt were sprinkled on top of the steaks to further enhance the flavours
I took my time to enjoy every mouthful, and indulged in a combination of steak, Dijon mustard and side potatoes. It was a pleausre to be enjoying a real honest and down to earth steak in Lebanon, finally I have found my holy grail!
It was so good that I finished mine and then polished another half from one of the other guests! Before even finishing my meal, I was already making plans for my next visit and I felt that I had been well and turely pampered with excellent food.
As is in the Lebanese natiure, warmth comes in abundance. Before we could resist, we were offered a desert, a light 'cheese cake' type of mix, nice and creamy at the top with a sweet summer fruit filling.
I will be visiting Mother, in Jbeil very soon and once again, to enjoy more of that exquisite fine steak that you can not possibly find anywhere else in Lebanon. I enjoyed my meal and the whole experience so much that I decided to share it with you. Make sure you call them and visit them to enjoy one of Lebanon's finest.
Bon Apetit!
Mother Restaurant
Old Town Byblos, Lebanon
Mobile: 03-951 901
Review by Garo Dedeyan (garo@ilovelebanon.com)
- June 13, 2011 8:37 am
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