Al-Amar

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Despite the sweltering heat, we perched ourselves on the open-air balcony of Pavilion's sixth floor for a bird's-eye view of Bukit Bintang. Al-Amar prides itself on authentic cuisine whipped up by Lebanese chefs. This was our second visit here. The food is decent; since we're not big fans of Middle Eastern fare in general, don't let this lukewarm review deter you from checking out this place. he bread was fragrant, plentiful and seemed freshly made. Tebleh Nayyeh (minced raw lamb mixed with herbs). Soft, creamy and subtle in flavour, but definitely an acquired taste. If you've had beef versions of this, you know what it's like. Mankouche, a Lebanese pastry covered with thyme and olive oil. A bit forgettable. Kefraya Les Breteches red wine and Lebanese arak (tasted like absinthe). 繼續閱讀

Al-Amar is quite a well-known Lebanese restaurant located in Pavilion Mall. As I’m not quite used to Lebanese cookery, the food to me is little sourly, though Al-Amar is still an excellent place to spend time with friend for its environment is really nice and clean with comfortable seating and friendly staffs. I like the Soujouk (Marinated Lamb sausage); I can taste the smoky flavor and distinctive aroma. The dessert, Baklava is unique and lovely presented. This image is taken only after I've taken few bite on the dish, The presentation (before eating) is actually quite lovely. 繼續閱讀

It was a late dinner slot on Sunday evening. The whole shopping centre was a little quiet. But all the better for us. We were seated inside (if the weather wasn’t so hot I would have chosen the terrace) and the ordering process went relatively quickly, having studied the menu at home countless time. Yes, I can be slightly obsessive at times.First to arrive were the cold Mezze dishes: Hommos – a dip made with chickpeas, tahini paste, olive oil and lemon juice and the Shanklich – Assorted Lebanese cheeses fused with Labneh and spices, served with thyme and finely chopped tomatoes, onions, parsley and capsicum.Hommos (or Hummus)Everyone has their own preferences of this middle-eastern classic dip, and Al-Amar’s version is exceptionally smooth and creamy, almost a bit ‘cheesy’. At home, I would have added some garlic and perhaps not blend it so fine to enjoy a bit of texture.ShanklichShanklich came highly recommended and I could certainly see why. All the beige-brown bits were the cheeses. The flavours were robust and almost like a punch to your face. The vegetables (and fruit, technically) helped to cut through the otherwise overwhelming richness. Frank fell in love instantly with this and promptly devoured nearly half the bowl.All Puffy and Adorable looking Lebanese BreadOf course, all these Mezze dishes were to be enjoyed with the freshly made bread. Whether you prefer to just tear small pieces to scoop the dips/fillings up, or just fill the pita pocket and munch like a sandwich, up to you. They will also replenish the empty basket.Haloumi SaladAnd how could we not order the Haloumi salad? Pan-fried pieces of Haloumi cheese, bed of green with grapes and pomegranate. Make sure you take each ingredient and combine for the perfect harmony of flavours. Dressing was a lemon and olive oil one, just how I like it. Simplicity at its best.Well, the next dish is slightly unusual. I have had plenty of raw fish in my life and I do enjoy raw beef in forms of Gyu Tataki, Yukke or the classic Steak Tartare. But I have never come across raw lamb.Kebbeh Nayyeh – Minced raw lamb meat mixed with bulgur wheat and spices served with fresh spring onions, mint and garlic sauce (forgot to take the picture before making a dent in this)Even though I know that Frank would not touch this with a 10-foot-pole (he eats steaks WELL DONE and does not touch any animal proteins other than the cows), I couldn’t resist ordering it. I suppose I could have asked for a half portion as this was huge! In terms of taste, I think it met my expectations. There was obviously a strong gamey taste, enhanced by spices like cumin (the prominent one anyway), and the oh-so-amazing garlic sauce (not pictured). It was an interesting culinary discovery. Tastes even better when paired with the lebanese ‘arak’, a milky concoction reminiscence of white sambuca because of the licorice taste.Blurry picture of arak. #failbloggerI couldn’t finish the raw lamb though so I’ve asked to pack it home and transformed it into lamb kofta the next day. Wouldn’t recommend having it raw the next day if you want to be nice to your digestive tract. It was still fabulous!Mixed Pastries Platter. Clockwise from top – Cheese Rolls, Kebbeh Kras, Lamb Sambousik and Spinach FatayerMy favourite was the Lamb Sambousik, fried dough with minced lamb and spices. Obviously Frank would go for the Cheese rolls. I felt that the Spinach Fatayer had too little fillings (albeit nice) and perhaps the pastry was a little thick, and the Kebbeh Kras (Fried Ground Beef and Bulghur shell with minced meat and spices) was decent enough. The next time I’d stick to perhaps the first two.By this time we were both waving the white flags. I was planning to order from the grill but alas we were defeated. Plus we needed some space for desserts too.Before we had time to breathe and look at the desserts menu these appeared on our table.Sweet Delights! Chocolate Moelleux and White Chocolate Cheesecake“Compliments from the manager,” the lovely waitress cooed. Ahh. That makes up for NOT doing the belly dance, Ralph.The Chocolate Moelleux was actually a Chocolate Molten Cake (or Lava Cake, if you prefer) with a melting centre. Although it didn’t really ooze out like I expected, the flavour was still spot on thanks to the use of Belgian chocolate (my favourite), I also enjoyed the Vanilla Ice cream that came with the cake.But the White Chocolate Cheesecake? Star of the night! Dressed with a strawberry marmalade, it was light, not overly sweet (which is what I usually worry about with white chocolate) and the tartness of strawberry was a perfect match. We fought for the last piece and Frank won. No fair!If you feel like messing up your sleep for the next 2 days, try the Lebanese coffee. Don’t judge the seemingly small cup, the brown liquid (almost a sludge, although I think this term doesn’t sound very flattering) packs a whole lot of Oomph! Frank was reluctant to be the hand model so mine jumped in instead.I didn’t record the individual pricing but the bill came to just over RM300. That’s because we’ve ordered wine, arak as well as sparkling water. The service was prompt and attentive and ambience was lovely. I feel that we need to dine as a bigger group to be able to sample more dishes though. 繼續閱讀

Located in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Al-Amar Lebanese Cuisine is this rather luxurious restaurant serving Lebanese and western flavour cuisines. This was my first time dining here, thanks to I Love Discounts who invited myself and a few other friends for Al-Amar's Sunday Lunch Buffet. Upon hearing the word food, what more some special Lebanese food, I immediately took up this chance to sample their buffet spread. Al-Amar Lebanese Cuisine,6.10, Level 6, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur03-2166 1011 Facebook: Al-Amar Facebook PageWebsite: http://www.al-amar.comMy first impression of Al-Amar was that it really looks the part of an exotic Lebanese restaurant, complete with the looks and environment. There was even a strong waft of lamb floating around the restaurant, which isn't really bad if you're in the mood to eat. Al-Amar Lebanese Cuisine was established in July 2008, successfully assimilating classic and modern decor with authentic flavors to be one of the rather successful fine dining restaurants in Pavilion KL. There was even a new section with open view overseeing the streets of Bukit Bintang below, which is really nice. One could just sit there to chill out with friends, having some good food with a view. Anyway, we were there for the good food, and after a brief introduction of the restaurnt by the owner Joseph, who hails from Beirut, Lebanon, it was time to check out the buffet!A quick count of the dishes available for Al=Amar's Sunday Buffet consists of all the food as listed below. Traditional hot mezzes Cold mezzes Soups A variety of salads Mixed rice Main course options include lamb, beef, vegetarian, chicken and fish Desserts Free flow of soft drinks and cordial juicesSo there we were, having all these good food while chatting with the owner and his top marketing man, Ralph. The place was really cozy, good enough to actually just sit there and relax the afternoon away. As this was my first time experiencing Lebanese food, some of the taste didn't really go well with my taste buds, but I did try all the dishes there. Surprisingly, I enjoyed most of the dishes that afternoon.Full Review at http://www.isaactan.net/2011/09/al-amar-lebanese-cuisine-pavilion.html 繼續閱讀