Cuisine:

• East and West
• Middle Eastern
• Lebanes
• Fast Food and Hamburgers

Mandaloun Description:
Although the second floor of a high-rise in downtown Glendale does not sound too exotic, Mandaloun (Arabic for an arched window) is as Middle Eastern as it gets, recapturing how sweet life once was in that corner of the Mediterranean. This vast space with a heated terrace is no Disneyland vision of Beirut. It's the real deal, from the food (even the fish is flown in), the music and the silk draperies to the chandeliers. Even the diners are genuine, with entire families gathered around long tables, clapping their hands to support the belly dancers, and on Fridays and Saturdays dancing to the obsessive rhythms. Foodwise, the mezes are the attraction. Chef Chammaa prepares fifty different varieties, and within moments small plates fill your table with an appetizing profusion, accompanied by lavash---hot flatbread---which is prepared in a corner by a smiling, busy baker. Don't miss the tabbouleh, à la Lebanon, so refreshing with more parsley and mint than cracked wheat; the baba ghanouj, a roasted eggplant caviar; the traditional garbanzo bean purée called hummus or homos; and the kafta nayeh, raw ground sirloin combined with parsley, onions and cracked wheat. If you still have room, main courses include kebabs of beef or chicken; spicy spit-roasted lamb shawarma; and whole fish, grilled, roasted or pan-fried. The international wine list does not forget to include Chateau Muzar, a legendary Lebanese vintage. For its authentic ambience and its generous mezes, Mandaloun offers a shortcut visit to an idealized Beirut.


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