Mandarine

Opened in 1977, Mandarine is not one of those places that recently popped up to close after a couple of months; they have been around for a while, and there’s a good reason for that. Like their slogan says, “serving the world in a plate”, here, east and west meet and intertwine. Mandarine takes you into a culinary experience that offers flavorful choices of dishes from around the world. Here, the location is appealing to the ladies-who-lunch and shoppers of the trendy Verdun street. The fusion, the people, its ambiance, the menu choices, the smiling and professional waiters and the certain history that whispers in your ear makes this place a must try. This restaurant offers a very nice and old Lebanese-style café decoration: leather chairs around conventional wooden tables, a bar welcoming you as soon as you enter the restaurant, and two large blue columns supporting the high ceiling. Mandarine kindly offers warm bread basket in the beginning, filled with yummy different French specialties, making the wait for the entrée easier on the stomach. Known for its classic French, Italian, and mezzes, Mandarine serves uniquely borrows the Japanese concept by inviting its Lebanese dishes to customers on a conveyor belt. Delicious plates of vegetables-rich mezzes, from classic fatoush to marinated broad beans lure clients to snatch the plate off the 25-meter belt in motion. Make sure to try the pizza, this circular creation made with thin dough covered with fresh tomato sauce surrounding a crispy border will surely hit the spot. There is also a salad bar for those who are up for a light treat.