Category Archives: IVY Lebanon-Eats

Mon Obsession Du Jour

Posted on April 18, 2011 | 2 Comments

One of my all-time favorite dishes,  sautéed shrimp in garlic and onions, sun-dried tomatoes,  a rich and creamy pesto sauce tossed with tagliatelle. The final touch-  a sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Bisoux

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IVY’s Search For The Best Burger In Beirut, Next Stop: Burger Nation

Posted on April 13, 2011 | 14 Comments

Some entrepreneurs invest thousands  of dollars, sometimes millions, in state-of-the-art restaurants hoping with that good food may follow. Others  start-off with a wholesome recipe and a mere grill and end up making some magic. I’m talking about Burger Nation, yes that not-too-shabby little corner spot that had recently opened in Hamra.

I’ve seen the Facebook Ads and the Twitter account (@burgernation) and a review here and there, but to be honest I never really paid much attention. But after an exhausting shopping session in Hamra on Monday, I accidentally fell on it and it sure was one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve had in a long time.

You see, we walk into these hyped up burger joints popping up all over Beirut with big expectations hoping to fulfill our ongoing quest for the best burgers in town only to be disappointed at times, content others, and rarely ever satisfied.

The place was packed.We were greeted by a cheery, bright-eyed waitress who spoke perfect English and genuinely seemed like she loves her job- a quality rare amongst waiters nowadays.  Grass-fed Angus, make your own burger, Belgian fries, I was overcome with sheer happiness.

We started off with some hot crispy coated onion rings that came with two AMAZING dips, ranch and another one that tasted very similar to McDonald’s Big Mac sauce. That set the mood for what was yet to come.

And then,  we saw two beautiful burgers make their way to our table, a 8oz for the big man and a lovely 6oz for lil’ me.  We had ordered them medium-well, brown on the outside, with a lovely pink shade on the inside. Lettuce, tomatoes and aged cheddar sat atop those patties, accompanied by a scoop of coleslaw and Belgian fries.

Where do I begin, to tell the story of how great a burger can be?  The thickness of the patty was superb and the bun was as soft yet sturdy as one would hope. It was big, but not sloppy, and the flavors, went so well together.

The burger was great, but then I tasted the sweet fresh coleslaw, and the just -right fries, ordered some more of that ranch dressing and munched away.  Good for  Burger Nation putting as much importance to getting the side orders right!

Why  am I so impressed?  There is no real kitchen in this place , instead you have a corner behind a counter, with a chef on the grill and another making the burgers. That’s all it took for these folks to make it happen.  And mind you there may be plenty of places in town with a similar concept, ut Burger Nation’s swift service,  friendly staff, to-the-point menu, and most importantly GREAT Burger, got it right.

The Verdict: 8/10

Price Range: 47,000 LL including to Cokes.

Would I go back? I’m on my way right now.

And NO: I did not get paid to write this- although I wish I did! Bisoux

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IVY’s Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Posted on April 4, 2011 | 6 Comments

This Recipe is the Barefoot Contessa’s , Click Here to get it…

 

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IVY Stops Searching And Makes The Best Burger In Beirut

Posted on March 14, 2011 | 11 Comments

I haven’t come around to tasting all the recommended burgers, partly because I don’t review food as a profession ( although I wish I did) and partly because although I LOVE me some burgers, for me, burgers come with a certain mood, usually when I’m famished after a long night of partying.

I picked up a couple of freshly ground meat patties while doing some grocery shopping the other day and decided to put my money where my mouth is.  So this may not be the  best burger in town, but it’s as close as it gets to the real thing. Here are some five great tips for making a nice classic burger at home.

Step #1  The Right Bun

It’s gotta be fresh, none of that pre-packed nonsense, rather puffy single buns you can buy from a bakery. Whip-up some low-fat easy spread butter and give’em a nice crispy toastiness in the oven.

Step #2  High Heat

We all yearn for a juicy burger. That means no overcooking but not too much pinkness either- this isn’t a filet after all. So you have to cook your patties on high heat to ensure most of the juices stay inside. I like to pan-fry mine in some healthy 100% virgin olive oil.

Step # 3  Keep It Fresh

I can’t stand the sogginess of a veggie that’s been in the fridge for a week. So if you wanna make this process worthwhile you have to add only the freshest of ingredients.  My favorites are iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and red onions.

Step #4   Real Cheddar Cheese and Caramelized Onions

If you’re gonna waste all your efforts by throwing in a slice of processed cheese then I suggest you just go to McDonald’s (mmm) We have great cheeses in our grocery stores so make sure you get some of that real cheddar cheese. Minutes before you think your burger is done cooking stack some slices over the patty while its in the pan.  Now grab a handful of red onions, spray in some drops of sesame oil and caramelize away.

Step#5  Stack-It Like Its Hot

Don’t underestimate the importance of placing your toppings in a strategic way,any false move and everything couldl fall apart in an instant. Also, you gotta prioritize when it comes to taste. I suggest you work with both buns separately first and then make the heavenly merge. I like mayo on my lower bun, and mustard on the upper one. The ketchup will fall right on the cheddar and patty.


Step#6  Enjoy

And there you have it- The Best Burger In Beirut ;) Bisoux



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Lebanese Summer Countdown- 9 Tips To Get Fit

Posted on March 2, 2011 | 4 Comments

So your New Year resolutions are a distant dream by now. You were supposed to quit smoking (even socially), become a regular at the gym ( a 15 min sprint on the treadmill doesn’t count )and most importantly eat healthy ( even during work hours)

It’s March and you’re still hung-over from the weekend. Your mind kept telling you to get that salad for lunch but every cell in your stomach was screaming for grease, so you ordered Fern Tony’s  Deluxe Burger . Your co-workers watched you gobble that beast down as they fiddled with their rice and spinach. But you’re back at your desk now, about to participate in some serious self-loathing wondering how you got here.  Knowing that within mere months, the hot and sexy gym busy-bees of this country will be ready to flaunt their combos of six packs, pectorals, biceps and what not while you’ll be struggling to stop yourself from ordering a bottle of extra-chilled rose by the beach.

Snap out of it; get a hold of yourself and enough with the procrastination.  I’ve come up with a couple of pointers to keep you satisfied but slick this season.

1)      Eat breakfast and get full, it’s the oldest trick in the book but it actually works wonders.  And no, that doesn’t mean indulging in some fried eggs and bacon, but a healthy whole wheat pita bread with some labneh, cucumber and olives , or turkey and cheese with some lettuce. Wash it down with a sweet fruit-but bar or perhaps a handful or almonds and raisins.

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Posted in fitness, IVY Lebanon-Eats, Sly Yet Genius Dating Tips

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IVY’s Dee-licious Dishes

Posted on February 8, 2011 | 7 Comments

Cooking get-togethers are the new thing in Lebanon right now.  It’s not just about making something at home and taking it to someone’s house, but more about making it with friends. And that’s exactly what my girls and I did last Friday.

Everybody loves a good spaghetti bolognaise,  it’s one of  my favorite classic Italian dishes that never seems to get old (at least in my books).  So we whipped up some pasta for dinner before getting to dessert. Feast your eyes…

Then comes my favorite part- the baking. It can get super messy, especially when you have four strong heads in the kitchen trying to take the lead.  Picking a recipe wasn’t easy, so we tossed a coin and ended up with these two lovelies. First we prepared the batter for some decadent  chocolate-chip muffins and next we decided to go with a heavenly pink vanilla frosted strawberry-flavored cake. If you’re wondering how it turned out so pink on the inside we used a mix of food coloring and  strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries.  Impeccable! Take a look. Bisoux

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IVY Eats At Bliss House- A Lebanese Classic

Posted on February 3, 2011 | 6 Comments

I found myself craving an all-time Lebanese classic following a long shopping session yesterday with a friend. Bliss House has managed to stand strong amongst it’s bigger international competitors and still provide us with that familiar juicy taste we crave occasionally. I’m not gonna pretend there is anything sophisticated about their food, it’s pure wholesome comfort food, and I still think it’s pretty creative.

The Spicy Chicken is on my naughty list food list, you know, the one you always rave about but allow yourself only occasionally. A strange combination of soy sauce, spicy sauces , mayo, cheese and most importantly Grease! Purrrfect

And of course the the Philly steak, its what put Bliss House on the map in the first place, still soothing and  ridiculously flavorful!

I wonder why Bliss house hasn’t sharpened up  it’s image after all those years though, or at least improved it’s venue? And here’s a thought, if Bliss House would open a Diner- Roadster or Crepaway style, would you go more often rather than just get it delivered? I know I would. Bisoux

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Blogger Gets Sued For Blogging About His Dinner- Seriously??!

Posted on February 1, 2011 | 13 Comments

This must be one of the most ridiculous  stories I’ve heard today, so thanks to my friends at BlogBaladi for bringing this to our attention.

Most of you know how much I like to review restaurants and sometimes I may even blog about a bad experience. Imagine, getting a comment from the actual restaurant telling me I’m getting sued for simply not liking the food!! Walaw!

Well, that what’s happening to Mark from 2:48AM, a popular blogger in Kuwait,  who took his wife to dinner at Benihana’s in Kuwait and gave it an OK review,  (although the review irrelative in my opinion) and next thing he knows the folks over at Benihana’s leave this comment on his blog:

Dear Mr. Mark,

We are from Benihana management of Kuwait; my name is Mike Servo the GM of the Company .

Thank You for visiting us in our restaurant and dining in with your wife .I had found your comments and in your web site on Benihana.

I also found it out that our rights and name is being used in a wrong way and broadcasting the video without a proper consent from us is really annoying specially Benihana is just opened up its doors to the public.

We are seeking and consulting our legal dept. on how we can form a type of law suit against your website to be brought up to the Kuwait authorities.

We respect opinion, but we see it in a way that Benihana name have been destroyed and abused on your website.

We are eager to know your name and meet you personally if you don’t have anything to hide.

You mentioned clearly on a detour way on not to go to Benihana and go to Maki or Wasabi or Chocolate Bar and we believe that this is against the law of Kuwait, We respect our rights on not to advertise in your website and if we don’t, this will not mean that we will be hurt by your side and if this done, the court in Kuwait will be in our side to give us our rights. to make this conversation short . We want you to give us your information, your name, your number and your address so our lawyer will take it from there and be sure that you in Kuwait were the jury is
100 % clean and fair.

We also expect that you might be sending people to Benihana to make a play and that is why we have informed the CID about that, In the past we encountered your add in Subway and it is one of our companies franchise, we really didn’t give it any attention, and it very clear now that Subway is an elephant while other competitors are closing down, however this time we will not let it go and we will follow you legally.

This is the last comment from my side and LPRC side; we wish that you will be free to give us your info. BTW are you Lebanese?

Thank for your concern and we have that you are brave to give us your info and we will meet in court soon.

Salute,

Mike Servo

First of all what’s with the “BTW are you Lebanese?” comment. What does that have to do with anything BTW? Do I sense some attempt to single out Lebanese? Pretty random eh?

This Mike  guy wasn’t kidding, Marc indeed got served with a court order and has to appear in court in March. They are seeking just under $18,000 dollars from him!!!

So what did we learn today kids? We learned that the next time you go to eat out and blog about it  you may just get sued. So you better put a big smile on your face and tell the manager how much you loved the food when he passes by your table. Or Else!!!

This is a big blow to the blogging community because today it’s about food and the next thing you know, we’ll be getting sued for blogging about our feelings.

Restaurants here have two choices: they can either follow suit and basically commit business suicide or do what others have done, and embrace social media as the new interactive tool, where businesses will now have to listen to feedback. Like it or not.

I urge restaurants to take notes from Classic Burger Joint who gracefully placed both my review and Gino’s Blog review up on their website even though they weren’t A++ reviews . So Way To Go Classic Burger Joint. Set the precedent!

Please show your support for Mark by posting the banner I posted from Blog Baladi. We too shall not be silenced! Bisoux

 

 

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Posted in Diary Of A Single Girl In Beirut, IVY Lebanon-Eats

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Whoever Said Junk Food Is Bad For You Was Just A Hater

Posted on January 27, 2011 | 5 Comments

I’ve been spending endless hours surfing food photography websites lately.And most of you know (from my endless food pics and reviews) I almost always eat out. And now with this cold wet weather, I find myself constantly wanting to munch on something. So lately I’ve been experimenting in my boyfriend’s kitchen (which happens to be three times as big as mine), placing different twists on simple classic dishes. His place conveniently happens to be right next to one of the best and biggest grocery stores in the city with the freshest ingredients. So it all works out.  Here are some pictures of what I’ve been up to lately, the dishes may seem amateur but I’ve come a long way from my Chop Stix days…Bisoux

Fresh mozzarella that I breaded myself, eggs, flour and breadcrumbs are all it takes. Pop'em in the oven et voila

They actually strangely tasted like Knaffeh. The only thing missing was honey.

I used the same ingredients used to bread the mozzarella to coat thinly sliced strips of chicken breast. On the side, some canned veggies tossed in tartar sauce.

Frankfurter, a resident of Frankfurt. I covered it with diced onions, tiny pickles, ketchup ketchup mustard in baguette. On the side: why coleslaw ofcourse!

Nothing like homemade pizza. The dough was courtesy of the local baker. The tomato sauce I used was jarred and ready to go. Then I placed green and red bell peppers, fresh mushrooms, black olives onions and pepperoni all under a generous coat of mozzarella.

With the leftover frankfurters and some shredded cheddar and feta cheese, I made a second pizza. Added some onions and black olives.

My friend Zeina called the ingredients on this pizza "random" but it was actually everyone's favorite!

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Despite Talks, The MOMMA KITCHEN WARS Continue In Lebanon!

Posted on January 24, 2011 | 4 Comments

As promised,  I will be showcasing all your Momma’s food for readers to decide who deserves the Best Momma’s food title in Lebanon.

Yasmine H from Half Eaten Man2ouche loves her Momma’s food so much she decided to snap these mouth-watering pics of Momma Hajjar’s cooking. I must say- Momma Hajjar may give Momma Ivy a run for her money.  Either way, you decide. Bisoux.

Jealous? Wanna showcase your Momma’s talents? Send pics to tell.ivy@gmail.com

Here is what Yasmine had to say about her Momma’s food…

 

Yasmine: "A veggie sweet and sour stir-fry. Chinese noodles were never as addictive. Mom had made this sans chicken, but usually she has baby carrots and chicken breasts in it. Totally drool worthy. My mother's secret ingredient is oranges, especially sweets ones which are very abundant right now in the winter. Mix fresh squeezed orange juice with the soya-sauce before mixing it in with the noodles. And a note, always use egg noodles for this. "

Fattouch

Yasmine: "Moujadara. Different moms make it in different ways, my mother makes it more on the dark side - onions are actually what make this darker than what lentils usually look like."

Yasmine: "Not many people actually eat it WITH a salad (preferably fatouch or cabbage salad)"

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Posted in IVY Lebanon-Eats, Momma Kitchen Wars

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