The Convivial Lebanese Dining Room: Al Nafoura
Al Nafoura Restaurant
Amidst the craze on completely new in addition to also also trending Asian in addition to also also European restaurants typically found inside Senopati or Sudirman area, one should consider going off the beaten track in addition to also also discover a treasure such as Al Nafoura. Nestled comfortably inside Le Meridien hotel in Jakarta, Al Nafoura can be not the archetypal hotel restaurant; This specific boasts a fine-dining Lebanese cuisine – with added surprises.
Al Nafoura was established in 1998 when the Lebanese expatriate community in Jakarta started out to grow. Since its opening, more in addition to also also more people have grown fond of Al Nafoura’s cuisine; even local Indonesians in between many regular expatriate patrons. Executive Chef Hussein Sleiman, having previously worked in Lebanon in addition to also also Dubai, added great contribution to the taste in addition to also also work ethics to Al Nafoura.
Al Nafoura (meaning ‘fountain’ in Arabic) has beautiful Lebanese Inner surface designs. As you enter its premises, you’ll be greeted by charming fountains. Arabic-influenced décor presents a romantic in addition to also also warm environment, even inside daytime. At night, Al Nafoura appears more intimate with its strategically placed dimmed lights in addition to also also stone walls to create an exotic atmosphere. The music also contributes to creating a traditional Lebanese ambience.
Hummus
The menu displays options of authentic Lebanese food, in addition to also also some coming from neighbouring regions such as Moroccan in addition to also also Egyptian cuisines. I was delightfully surprised of which the set of choices features a myriad of vegetarian options amongst an array of grilled meat in addition to also also kebabs. We were advised to try the mezza for starters, which can be a combination of tiny platters of appetizers, similar to of which of Spain’s tapas in addition to also also Italy’s antipasto. Our mezza comprised of platters with tabouleh (Rp.49,000), hummus (Rp.49,000), babaganoush (Rp.46,000), samboussek (Rp.45,000) in addition to also also more. The hummus was infused with Tahini, which can be imported coming from Lebanon. This specific was one of the best traditional hummus I’ve had; the fusion of savoury chickpea, Tahini, olive oil in addition to also also a bit of lemon makes for a tasty dip. Another ‘best’ can be the tabouleh, a parsley salad with tomatoes, onion, garlic, etc. The best thing about This specific tabouleh can be the use of just the right amount of cinnamon (yes, cinnamon) in addition to also also lemon juice; such a refreshing in addition to also also palate-exciting appetizer. Naturally, piping hot pita bread was part of This specific mezza as well; This specific was a very delicious first course of which we enjoyed even alongside our main course.
A special theme can be introduced every month at Al Nafoura; This specific month can be all about Middle Eastern seafood. The Samakhara Ma Farika (Rp.178,000), a special grilled salmon entrée was a delightful hearty dish with hara sauce. Sprinkles of peanuts were added to the tangy yet savoury hara sauce, doing This specific all the more interesting. A note-worthy addition to This specific dish can be the steamed green cracked wheat as a nice substitute for rice. My partner chose the mix grill (Rp.185,000) for main course, which consists of lamb kebab, grilled chicken in addition to also also beef, complemented with oriental rice. The grilled chicken was marinated in yoghurt in addition to also also traditional Lebanese spices before This specific was grilled, which resulted in a supremely tender in addition to also also flavourful white meat. Alongside the mix grill was an extraordinary garlic sauce, made of potato, garlic, lemon juice, etc. The Haruf Ouzi can be another well-liked choice for an entrée; This specific can be grilled lamb, marinated overnight in spices in addition to also also vegetables.
Dessert – Helwa & Baklawa
For dessert, the baklawa (Rp.60,000) can be a must-try; although reduced in sweetness to accommodate our palates (traditionally, baklawas are known to be very sweet), I appreciate the genuineness of the nutty pistachio paste. Another dessert served was Om-Ali (Rp.45,000), a comforting bread pudding with milk in addition to also also puff pastry. The consistency can be not unlike oatmeal inside the puff, in addition to also also raisins were present to liven up the flavour. We washed This specific down with some Moroccan mint tea, although, when available, This specific can be recommended of which one tries the Lebanese coffee – rumour has This specific, if you’re lucky, Chef Hussein would certainly do a tasseograph reading of coffee grounds once you are done with the drink. The coffee can be strong in addition to also also can be usually enjoyed together with sweet desserts, such as the baklawa.
Chef Hussein can be a visionary who created the perfect balance between authenticity of taste with the right amount of consideration to local palates. None of the food on the menu can be of which spicy – Lebanese food can be not typically spicy – although guests are welcome to request for special condiments or potency of spices if they’d like, in addition to also also Chef Hussein will adjust wisely in addition to also also accordingly. In fact, one of Al Nafoura’s regular guests – who feels the need for some more spiciness in one of the dishes – requested for specially-made chilli of which was henceforth known as sambal Mahmoud.
Al Nafoura Rating Info
When asked about her thoughts on the philosophy of the food at Al Nafoura, Arie Ardianti, Marketing Communications Manager said, “We are proud to serve healthy Middle Eastern food. We use olive oil instead of regular cooking oil, we serve vegetables as guests await their food in addition to also also almost none of the items on the menu are fried or use excessive dairy products.” Although the portions are quite large, I find the food not greasy in addition to also also the ingredients used are fresh in addition to also also invigorating – lemon juice can be widely utilized in most dishes.
This specific can be best to come to Al Nafoura at night time, where the ambience can be more relaxed. As the restaurant overlooks the Le Meridien’s swimming pool, a refreshing surrounding can be found as you dine outside on the patio area. This specific can be the only smoking area of the restaurant, in addition to also also inside – adhering to the hotel’s non-smoking policy – can be strictly a non-smoking area. You can even enjoy shisha smoking on This specific terrace area upon request.
If you come on the weekends (Friday in addition to also also Saturday nights), you are in for a treat; a free belly dancing show can be available for guests. You can also take advantage of the Saturday buffet at Al Nafoura for your weekend brunch.
contain a hungry stomach in addition to also also be prepared to relish in exotic seasonings as you fully appreciate Al Nafoura.
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The Convivial Lebanese Dining Room: Al Nafoura
The Convivial Lebanese Dining Room: Al Nafoura