Zahrabel Dining Club: Lebanese Lunch With A Tasty Flair

Zahrabel Dining Club’s new Executive Lunch Menu

District: Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Cuisine: Lebanese
How Much: Dishes range from $140 – $190
Best for: Casual lunch or meeting for executives
Must order: The Shish Taouk or Lamb Kebabs

Ahlan wa sahlan! That’s the welcoming Arabic greeting on Zahrabel Dining Club’s website. Roughly translated, ‘ahlan’ means ‘family’ and ‘sahlan’ means ‘food to be shared,’ and its décor, ambiance and food are all just as welcoming and inviting as its motto.

We went to taste the new Executive Lunch Menu, which, for $140, was a great deal. It featured a decent-sized mezza plate filled with a Fresh Salad (cucumbers, romaine, tomatoes, parsley and a light olive oil vinaigrette dressing) Hummus, Jos Mahrouse (a signature spread made of crushed nuts, herbs and olive oil), Falafel, torshi (Lebanese pickles) and Lebanese Bread. It also included a dessert of the day, which, thankfully for us, was a yummy Baklava, complete with a thick layer of pistachio nuts.

If a light meal isn’t enough for you, you can easily add on to the mezza platter with several options (and only a few dollars more). We decided to try the Shish Taouk, which was a very flavourful grilled chicken on skewers, served on Lebanese bread and a side of garlic sauce. The meat was so tender, juicy and full of flavour we did not need the garlic sauce (and we didn’t want to offend the other gals in the office, so we didn’t try it!). When we raved about the chicken, we were told to try the Lamb Kebabs, and when we did, understood why they suggested them. Bursting with flavour, these are cooked to perfection with a crispy outside and tender inside. De-lish.

Vegetarians, Zahrabel has you covered, as the mezza plate is vegan, and there are also vegetarian options, such as the Vegetarian Safiha (tangy spinach mix enclosed in an oven roasted pita bread), and the option we tried, the Vegetarian Fousulieh, a traditional bean stew served with Lebanese rice. Although the portion is not huge, the hearty beans and rice are definitely filling enough.

We paired our meal with the house white wine, which happened to be Blanc de Blanc, one of our faves. As Arabic music played softly in the background, we sipped our drinks and enjoyed a delicious meal that satisfied us quite well.

Sassy note: Zahrabel Dining Club is licensed as a members only club, so first-time diners are asked to sign in. There is no fee, and you are able to reserve a table through the app afterward.

Zahrabel Dining Club, 239 Hennessy Road, 25th Floor, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 5503 9181, zahrabel.com