National Geographic Traveller UK 03.2020

JOHN

GREGORY-

SMITH is a chef,

writer and presenter

specialising in Middle

Eastern and North

African cuisine.

John Gregory-Smith shares his pick of the country’s best

dishes, restaurants and culinary experiences

When I was writing Safron in the Souks,

I would talk to people back home in the

UK and ask what they thought about

Lebanon. Everyone was always enthusiastic

about the food; they knew they loved

hummus, tabouleh, falafel and shawarma.

But when I asked about the country itself,

no one knew anything other than war.

And, of course, this can’t be overlooked; it

hangs over everything. But there’s so much

more to Lebanon. It’s truly beautiful, with

landscapes unlike anywhere else and food

that’s simply divine.

On my irst visit to Tripoli, Lebanon’s

second-largest city, I started of in El Mina,

the oldest part of town. At the buzzing ish

market, plastic tables groaned under the

weight of shimmering octopuses, huge

king prawns and anchovies that glistened

like silver. I walked around to the harbour

and ate ashta (clotted cream) ice cream,

watching the boats bob up and down on

the sea. Come aternoon, I sought shade in

the souk and feasted on bowls of hummus

and tart pickles. As I wound my way

through alleyways lined with piles of fresh

fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices, I was

utterly enchanted.

An edited extract from Safron in the

Souks, published by Kyle Books (RRP: £25).

JOHN’S TOP THREE

BEIRUT RESTAURANTS

TAWLET

The best home-style food in

Beirut. Each day, a diferent cook

takes the helm and prepares

regional specialties from

their hometown.

WHAT TO ORDER: Kibbeh, a mix of

ground lamb and bulgur served

raw or cooked. It’s one of the

national dishes of Lebanon.

soukeltayeb.com/tawlet

MAYRIG

A smart restaurant dishing up

reined Armenian food. The

exquisite garden is perfect for a

decadent dinner.

WHAT TO ORDER: Mante, little lamb

dumplings that are baked until

crisp, then served with garlicky

yogurt and rich tomato sauce.

mayrig-restaurant.business.site

BARON

The menu here swings between

Eastern Mediterranean and Asian.

It’s all shared plates, so choose

several and tuck in.

WHAT TO ORDER: The roasted

halloumi is delicious and the

charred octopus with fragrant

tomato conit is perfection.

tastykitchens.com/baron

MUST-TRY

INGREDIENT

Za’atar is a fragrant

herb that grows all

over Lebanon. It has

a strong herbaceous

taste, with a slight

citrussy tone. It’s used

in fattoush salads and

rich lamb stews.

Lebanon

A TASTE OF

IMAGES: NASSIMA ROTHACKER; ALAN KEOHANE

SMART TRAVELLER

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