Finally, December is here and we’re allowed to talk about
Christmas!
Given that around one-third of Lebanon’s
population is Christian, it will come as no surprise that Christmas is a big
deal there. With its culture of hospitality, Lebanon goes in for Christmas in a
big way, with lots of parties, family gatherings and, of course, food.
The food is a little different, based more
closely on traditional mezze dishes, and rather than a Christmas tree, the
focus of decorating the home for Christmas is a manger scene. In the run-up to
Christmas, Lebanese children will grow shoots from lentil, chickpea or bean
seeds on pieces of cotton wool and use these to decorate the nativity scene.
They wait with excitement not for Father Christmas or Santa Claus, but for Papa
Noël or Baba Noël (a reminder of the country’s French heritage), and
traditional Christmas treats are nuts or dates, and particularly sugared
almonds.
If you are planning a Christmas party for work
or a group of friends and can’t stand the thought of yet another dingy pub
spread with dry turkey and overcooked sprouts, why not put Lebanese hospitality
to the test with something a little more lively. Groups dine from £15 per person when eating from our set menu, or if you want something special we can
arrange a menu to suit your budget. Your guests will also benefit from our
extensive wine list or you could treat them to one of our exquisite cocktails.
In addition to this, one of London’s best belly dancers, Dina, will be
performing live every Friday and Saturday night at 8.30 between now and
Christmas.
We are also taking bookings for our New Year’s Eve celebration – a three-course Lebanese meal followed by
Baklawa and mint tea or coffee, a live DJ, and live belly dancing and magic
shows, along with a party which is sure to go on long into the night. Places are strictly limited, so book now!
