Anise
Anise is the long-lost Lebanese brother of a New
Orleans speakeasy, and I often come here for the
textbook Vieux Carré. But, as the name suggests, the
house specialty is arak, in this case craft arak from
all over Lebanon. “This one is from Zahlé, that’s
from Jezzine. The one next to it is from Bhamdoun,”
says one of the bartenders, Avo, running through
an impressive collection lined up behind the wood-pan-
elled bar inset with a smoky old mirror. Dapper
in black ties and waistcoats, the bar staff remember
patrons’ names and what kind of gin they prefer in
the bar’s signature cocktail, the Last Word. Anise
is also known for its range of absinthe and, not for
the faint-hearted, its own moonshine. Happy “hour”
runs nightly from 6pm until 9pm, and the bar closes
at 1.30am. Night owls and regulars, meanwhile,
stay for the single dish on the menu: kibbe stuffed
with labneh.Alexander Fleming St, Mar Mikhael,
+961 70 977 926Falafel Al Nawwar
Never discuss politics or falafel with a Beiruti – raising
either topic will spark hours of heated debate. I’ll add
fuel to the fire by naming my current favourite falafel
shop: Falafel Al Nawwar, a modest shopfront barely
large enough for a half-dozen customers to stand in,
with summery white and blue tiles wrapped around
the prep counter. It’s one of about 50 in the city
serving variations on the falafel sandwich: hot falafel
balls, chopped parsley, sliced tomatoes and red radish,
turnip pickles and tarator – the essential tahini, lemon
and garlic sauce – all wrapped in pita baked that
morning. The family-run shop may be small, but
the balance of crispness, tang and punch makes
their falafel sandwich just right. Latif St, Ain El
Remmaneh, +961 1 283 355Tawlet
Kamal Mouzawak founded Beirut’s first farmers’
market, Souk El Tayeb, in 2004. The farmer’s son
and former television host wanted to support
producers and preserve food traditions in a city that
had largely lost its celebrated bazaars during French
rule and a long civil war. The market was the first step
in a slow-food movement that is still gathering pace,
and Mouzawak now oversees a network of markets,
lunchrooms, guesthouses and community projects
around Lebanon. Among his most popular initiatives
is Tawlet, a canteen off busy Armenia Street that aims
to bring authentic home-cooked meals to city dwellers.
Home cooks from villages around Lebanon are invited138 GOURMET TRAVELLER