Belly dancing at Warda

Belly dancing at Warda

 

What could be better than enjoying traditional Levantine cuisine, expertly cooked, in comfortable surroundings? Well, nothing! Unless there was entertainment as well, of course. Here at Warda we provide the best food and most tasteful décor in Southgate, and we are also pleased to bring you traditional Middle-Eastern belly dancing, provided by our very beautiful and talented resident dancer, Dinah.

Belly dancing is the name of the exotic style of dancing which has been traditional in the Middle East for as long as records have existed. The term ‘belly dancing’ is actually a misnomer resulting from the French term ‘danse du ventre’, which might be better translated as ‘dancing with the abdomen’. However, even this oversimplifies this stunning form of improvised interpretive dance, which makes use of a variety of dance moves, including flowing, undulating arm movements, swaying or twitching the hips, and the move most widely associated with belly dancing: the shimmy, in which the dancer rapidly shakes her stomach and hips.

There is a huge variety of belly-dancing costumes, and each region has its own alternative. Most dancers wear a tight top or bra which leaves the stomach exposed, though in some countries exposing the stomach is taboo or even illegal, and a longer vest is worn instead. A long skirt or harem pants are often worn, with scarves with coins attached tied around the waist, which rattle and clink pleasingly during the dance. Some dancers also use finger cymbals (zils) or wave scarves in the air around them to accompany their dancing.

Belly dancing shows at Warda usually take place on Friday and Saturday evenings on selected weekends and it is always being announced in advance when and what time the show starts, it can be also booked for parties or special occasions. Please contact the restaurant for more information.

It’s party time at Warda!

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!

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Lebanese hospitality

The staff of Warda are very proud of the hospitality we offer the people of Southgate and the surrounding area, and why shouldn’t we be – there have been people in Lebanon for over seven thousand years, and the country is famous for the care and attention it shows its guests. We have quite a reputation to live up to!

 

In Lebanon it is considered an honour and a privilege to have a guest in your home, and how a person takes care of his guests says a lot about who he is, so if you have the good fortune to find yourself the guest of a Lebanese person you can expect to be offered every comfort. It is likely you will be offered a drink as soon as you arrive, and it is considered rude to refuse. It is also likely that you will be encouraged to try a little (or a lot!) of every dish on the table, of which there will be quite a few (see our previous blog), and you may be pressed to have second and even third helpings. You should also be prepared to be asked several times whether you would like some more to eat or drink. Even if you initially refuse, it is likely you will be asked again as your host wants to do his utmost to make sure you are comfortable and have had sufficient, so it’s a good idea to pace yourself. This is one of the reasons why meals in Lebanon are never casual affairs, and can go on for several hours.

 

We know things won’t be exactly the same in a restaurant – for example, we don’t expect you to bring us gifts or sweets, and no one likes a pushy waiter, but at Warda you can be guaranteed a warm welcome, a relaxed meal, good food and plenty of it!

Sources:

http://www.maroniteacademy.org/maroniteacademy/5.culture-language.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/lebanon.html

Lebanese cuisine

You’re at work. It’s a slow Wednesday. Coffee isn’t helping. Your work-friend leans over your desk. ‘How’s it going?’ they ask. 

‘Oh, you know. Can’t wait for the weekend.’

‘If you haven’t got plans, a few of us are going to Warda on Friday night. Have you been there? It’s in Southgate. It’s got a great wine bar, and they do the best Lebanese food – their baba ghanoush is to die for.’

Panic sets in. It sounds like fun, but what is Lebanese food like? Isn’t it all lamb and chickpeas? And just what the heck is baba ghanoush?!

Actually, as it shares nearly half of its borders with the Mediterranean Sea and has a history of trade and commerce, it’s not surprising that Lebanese cuisine is something of a melting-pot. Some of its dishes can be traced back to the Roman Empire, and it has elements of cuisine from all around the Mediterranean and Middle East. Key ingredients are fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, tomatoes, aubergine, sesame seeds, lamb and chicken.

Lebanese cuisine has its roots in hospitality. Traditionally, it was considered rude to offer a guest a drink without also offering them something to eat, and this gave rise to a host of tiny dishes collectively known as mezzes – similar to British nibbles or Spanish tapas – a wide assortment of which would be laid out in front of the guest. Typical mezzos are pastry parcels with a variety of fillings, cucumber and carrot sticks dipped in hummus (pureed chickpeas), falafel (deep-fried bean croquettes), tabboulé (salad with parsley and mint), and – yes – baba ghanoush, which is pureed aubergine mixed with tahini (ground sesame seeds), and is delicious!

www.wardarestaurant.co.uk

Images used with permission from Kavey Eats” Kavey Eats http://www.kaveyeats.com/2014/05/warda-lebanese-the-best-lebanese-food-ive-had-since-visiting-lebanon.html