Paris: Late-night Lebanese

ABF & I took the long way, shall we way, to find our hotel on Boulevard Garibaldi. By the time we got there on that hot, humid, April day, we were beat, so we took a luxurious nap. By the time we got up and moving for dinner, it was pretty late and our options had dwindled.

We wandered a few hundred yards down the road and found a Lebanese restaurant, El Fares, that was open late, half-full, and smelled delicious. We were feeling adventurous, so in we went.

As soon as we sat down, someone whisked over dishes of raw veggies and green olives.
Aren't French radishes sleek & stylish? Yeah..still too bitter for me, but I gave them a shot anyway.

And the olives were so good--briny, fresh, tangy, and, as were the veggies, complimentary!

You know my love for languages, so I always get a kick out of seeing translations on menus. Please note the 'no comment' on the falafel (is this good? bad? indifferent?) and the 'beyruth' style for hummus. I assume, this being a Lebanese spot, that they meant Beirut. Squint up a little further to read about the ingredients 'protected' by pita bread. Sigh. I love languages.

I immediately ordered some hot mint tea which smelled ammaaaaaazing. I added one sugar, just enough to give a hint of sweetness.

ABF ordered the lamb kebab platter. It smelled wonderful and was tasty, but it was not a lot for food for a fairly pricey entree (about $18 dollars).

I ordered the kofte, ground lamb. It was also a very small portion, but it was just enough for a late night snack. The salad was fresh and lightly dressed, and the pickled veggies had a nice zing to them. Also not a 'cheap' dish (about $15), but tasty, delivered quickly, and we were grateful as our options were few and fleeting that evening!

Overall, we were happy with our meal. I would probably go back there for lunch instead of dinner. It's a popular spot for people of all ages, though we saw more young people in their 20s there, we also saw two women in their 60s who were traveling from the states, some older Lebanese men, and of course, us. : )

El Fares
166 Boulevard Grenelle
75015 Paris
08 99 23 96 04

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