COCONUTS CRITIC’S TABLE – Back in the day – that would be the late 1990s – one of the few places you could find authentic Middle-Eastern food in Hong Kong was a tiny little shopfront on Jaffe Road called Zahra.
The small family restaurant with a big reputation closed about 10 years ago to the disappointment of many. Add to that, the recent demise of Habibi and Assaf in Central and there is now a dearth of classy Middle-Eastern outlets despite a flood of quick kebab eats.
Interior
Fortunately, a new incarnation of Zahra has been born. Zahrabel was opened last year by the offsprings of Zahra’s original owners, and Lebanese cuisine lovers have been happily signing up to enjoy the exquisitely prepared delights equal to its predecessor.
I say “signing up” because Zahrabel technically operates as a private dining club, meaning you have to register as a member (online or when you arrive after making a booking) to eat here. There is no fee to join. The private club status just probably allows the owners to get around certain licensing requirements.
Located on the 25th floor of a building on Hennessy Road in Wan Chai, the new venue isn’t huge, but it’s comfortable enough, with an Arabesque intimacy thankfully not based on kitschy Middle-Eastern motifs.
In other words, it’s not trying to resemble a Persian zouk or conjure some Sinbad exotica. In fact, the look is quite contemporary. Fine by me. If I want Aladdin, I’ll go to Disneyland.
Hummus and Babaganouj
The menu is very simple – essentially all hot and cold mezze small plates of Middle-Eastern favourites. Depending on the day of the week, diners have the option of six, eight or ten dishes (HKD380, HKD460 or HKD520), all of which are designed for sharing.
As a party of two, we were kindly advised by the server that eight mezzes were more than enough. She was right, and I’m happy to say EVERYTHING was wonderful.
Familiar dips like Hummus and Babaganouj paired perfectly with Zahrabel’s fluffy whole wheat and plain pita breads, which were replenished endlessly. The Babahanouj was particularly memorable with a smokiness that gave the fleshy eggplant puree real depth and character.
Tabouleh Salad
Tabouleh Salad (with parsley, cracked wheat and tomato) is a dish that usually comes overdressed with too much lemon juice. Not Zahrabel’s. Their’s was refreshing, crunchy and only lightly acidic.
For some reason the Haloumi was listed as cold mezze even though the briny Mediterranean cheese came grilled and balanced with a slightly spicy, peppery zatar. This was a hearty prelude to more warming plates.
From the hot mezzes, the Fattayer – a pastry of sautéed spinach with pine nuts and apparently a hint of pomegranate – was the first to arrive. We couldn’t spot any red seeds from the fruit, however, so we assumed it was lemon juice and maybe sumac providing the zing.
Fattayer
My other quibble was that I wished the parcel wasn’t a dough but filo pastry, which would’ve given the Fattayer an even better texture. Compared with the wow factor of some of the other mezzes, this one was merely good. Although that is less a comment on the Fattayer and more a statement on the amazing highs reached by some of the other offerings.
The Minced Lamb Skewer of Kafta was the undisputed winner. With not a hint of gaminess, the meat was velvety, moist and moreish enough for us to order another.
Minced Lamb Skewer of Kafta
A less common Middle-Eastern treat was the Chicken Elmina, a regional speciality from the Lebanese town of Tripoli/Mina. It consisted of poultry, which tasted like it was lightly poached, served with an interesting minty sauce with olive oil.
Chicken Elmina
However, the real surprise was Samke Harra, a dish of fish fillets topped with toasted pine nuts, in a saffron-y tahini sauce with a bit of an unexpected but welcome kick.
Samke Harra
The entire meal is accompanied by mint tea or Lebanese coffee, refilled to your thirst’s content. There’s also a nice plate of crunchy pickled vegetables to work your saliva glands overtime.
Considering it’s primarily a Muslim country, Lebanon produces quite a lot of wine. Zahrabel’s libation list showcases much of the vintage from the cooler higher altitude regions, if you choose to partake.
Baklava
And you need not worry about dessert, because that’s included, too. On most nights it’s a rich piece of Baklava. On our visit, the sweet delight was so syrup-drenched the gooey pastry layers were stuck tight together, and the chopped pistachios ended up glued to my molars, as they absolutely should be.
There might be a other choices for Middle-Eastern food in Hong Kong, but none of them match the refinement and elegance Zahrabel displays. I guarantee you won’t miss the kebabs and shawarmas one bit.
Zahrabel 25/F, 235-239 Hennessy Road Wan Chai, (+852) 5503-9181, info@zahrabel.com.
