LEBANON 🇱🇧
Recently Mashawi changed its name slightly so that "Lebanese Kabob" was replaced simply with "Grill" and "Mediterranean & Conscious Kitchen" added underneath. What this means in practice is that the focus has shifted a bit away from, ironically; mashawi, which is an Arabic term for anything you can grill or barbecue. Technically this can include vegetables but it is usually taken to be meats.
The restaurant has always had a long list of fresh smoothies and juices and this looks to keep getting bigger as they focus more on health. But meat lovers and cholesterol addicts don't let this all scare you, it is easy to put together a nice Lebanese meal here no matter what your desires. The daily special plates seem to have disappeared, but the array of mezze and kabobs is still alive and well.
Often when you find muhammara ($6, above) on a menu the restaurant reluctantly tells you that unfortunately it is not available "today" so this was ordered with caution. This was not the case here and a good rendition of the red pepper and walnut dip arrived to be scooped up generously with pita.
In the mood for shawerma but hesitant to order it because no spit was in sight, a closer look at the menu reveals they grill this and other sandwich meats on a charcoal grill. As you can imagine this method of preparation fits the healthy model, but it was intriguing nonetheless. A charcoal grilled chicken shawerma wrap ($7, below) comes served nicely with both a spicy pepper oil and a garlicky tahini.
While the fat drippings from the spit were certainly missed, the sandwich is good in its own respect. Washed down with the excellent fresh lemonade ($5) made with mint, watermelon, and pomegranate, rejuvenation was eminent.
A plate of five warak ennab ($4, below) was recommended by the counterman here and did not disappoint. These little cigars might not look like much, but the Lebanese-style vegetarian stuffed grape leaves were a perfect complement to the meal. One disappeared before the photo, don't worry your math is not faulty.
It is often easy to find your way to a large and probably unhealthy mixed grill platter in Middle Eastern restaurants, but Mashawi Grill was an unexpected detour from this type of meal. What they are doing is easy to appreciate, especially for those that come prepared for a fresh and light lunch or dinner.
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Dear Writer, Kudos to your ability to bring about the full-fledged essence of a restaurant through your words. Having to explain in detail about Mashawi Grill, its recent name change to its food and its quality has been described very well. Appreciate the interest shown in also explaining the type of food that interests customers coming to the Hotel.
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