Lebanese Taverna

After a long day of walking around the National Zoo and skipping meals, I saw a big sign in the distance with a cedar tree and I was determined to make it my dinner!

My grandfather is Lebanese, and growing up, Lebanese food was always a rare and welcome treat. Unfortunately, like with Cuban food, I tend to be picky with Lebanese food I eat out, but it had been so long... and with no food all day, I knew it was the perfect time to introduce my husband to "strange" middle eastern food.

The Lebanese Taverna did not disapoint! For starters, we got falafel (chickpea fritters), fatayer b'spanigh (spinach filled pastries, one of my favorites growing up), kibbeh (fried nuggets of ground lamb, beef and pine nuts), and hommos (or hummus). I was surprised to see fatayer b'spinagh on the menu, outside of lebanese bakeries, the closest thing I've ever seen to it is greek spanikopita. My hubs ordered the lamb kabob for dinner, and I had the kafta meshwi (ground lamb and spices grilled on a skewer). Everything was delicious, cooked perfectly.

They have a pretty large menu, which might be daunting to someone who has never tried lebanese food, but fear not! The appetizers come in little "mini-size" versions, so they are perfect for sharing. They also have a variety of kabobs (fish, chicken, veggie), chicken and lamb shawarma, and of course, a large variety of lamb dishes. They also have a full bar, along with a variety of Lebanese wine and beer.

While it's not exactly cheap (Lebanese food never is really), a meal at Lebanese Taverna is worth every penny. With the quality of the food, it is evident that these people take great pride in what they do. Not some sort of gimmick, but tasty, authentic Lebanese food, just like your great aunts would make (if you're lucky enough to have Lebanese aunts ;)