Being a food lover, I have never stop learning how to enjoy food as there are so many types of food available throughout the whole world, I cannot denied that, there are good and bad experience involve, but with middle east food had been growing rapidly in Malaysia, it’s a great chance to try out not until I get a chance to dine at this places was during last year when I was in charge to bring company’s client for Middle Eastern Food. Having the client explaining to me how to enjoy their countries food is something that I learn and enjoy. Not until recently with Sidney’s invite me, and I got this chance to learn directly from Joseph which is the young owner of this Al Amar Lebanese Restaurant located on the 6th floor of Pavilion.
Al Amar is having their latest promotion with buffet lunch that is only available on Sunday.
I just love their interior setting with concentrated by infusing Lebanese setting in it as Joseph would just want everyone to feel like home as he is. With porch light, tea pot and accessories imported back from the country, playing soft lebanese background music certainly add up the whole atmosphere.
In this restaurant you will be treated like a king and queens with their waiter and waitress had been well train.
Besides this area, the also do have the terrace area that located directly outside of the restaurant which is just perfect for smokers and those who enjoy the night view of the busy street of KL City.
In just a short time within 2 years that this restaurant was establish, the restaurant had constantly improving and striving to success that it is amazing to see a restaurant to win so many awards, cannot be denied that their food is excellent.
I have tried quite a few beers before, Tiger, Calrsberg, HoeGarden, Stella, but I have never tried Lebanese beer. I never thought that ‘Almaza Lebanese beer’ would taste as good as any beer out in our market. It is mild in taste, yet smooth and not too bitter that with first sip you get to taste the malt aromatic taste, and I find it that girls would love it too. . .like Witch, she is not a alcohol lover but she fell in love with this.
I have always thought that this is a Halal restaurant and also Middle East people do not consume alcohol but I was wrong after Joseph explained to me. They have the alcohol that can make you ‘cookoo’ or crawl back and to my surprise, in Beirut they produce wine too.
We got to choose:
White wine – Blanc de Blancs 2008 – with a wine of 2008 could not be any good than this. I love it as now I have found the taste I like which is dry wine.
Red Wine – Les Breteches 2007 – The red taste good, smooth, dry and its like when the wine travels down my troat it had paint a line in it, as now I have found the type of taste that I like, which is dry wine.
They have come out with the new menu.
Every meal that we dine in Al Amar, ‘Pita Bread’ is complimentary, therefore you have to order ‘Mezze’ to go along with it.
If you were to eat it plain like that, it taste not bad too as it was served out from the oven.
Then we start off our meal with Cold Appetizer or name as
‘Cold Mezze-Shanklish’, that is served with fine chopped tomato, onion, mint and olive oil. If you tear some of the pita bread and wrap it, it taste good, with the mild flavor of each ingredient. Joseph pause for a while and stare at us, then asked ‘arent you guys going to eat the vegetable’? most of us thought that it was for display purpose only and he said no, its for us to eat, we were like puzzled abit after that only realise there is actually a
small knife in the basket for us to cut.
At that time Joseph teach us how to eat it along with Shanklish or Tabbouleh Harra, take a spoonfull of it and place it on the vegetable by wrapping it after that. The truth is, it taste much better with the vegetable.
front to back – ‘Mhammara, Moutabal and Hommos’
The trick of how to enjoy your simple pita with the rest of the appetizer is, tear the pita edge and then roll it into a con size, then hook up the ingredient as in full like ice cream and eat it after that. With the skin become solid and the ingredient is soft, bite it together its nice. I love Hommos taste.
If you are a salad lover and would want to try something different then opt for their ‘Tabbouleh Harra’ which is one of their popular dish that order by customers, serve in parsley, bulgur, mint, tomato, spring onion, and other herbs with lemon juice, olive oil and various seasonings.
Deep fried ball is what I see next, ‘Falafel’ is cook in a healty way, which it is fried with olive oil. It is crispy on the outside then solid in inside, then Joseph ask us, ‘why arent you guy s eating, try to dip it with ‘Tahini Sauce’.
The whole aroma change, as the sauce is a bit sour yet blended in so well with the food.
If you visit Middle Eastern restaurant for the first time, by ordering lamb, you would not go wrong. I just love their ‘Soujouk (Lamb sausage)’, the lamb had been grilled, till its very juicy in the inside, the meat is soft and tender, filled with aromatic lamb taste (some people might not like the taste of it).
‘Oriental Rice’ was served next. It look simple but its flavourful with the spices.
‘Batata Harra’ is another healthy dish that they have in the list with potato cubes been fried by using olive oil.
I would say ‘Lamb Cutlets’ one of the best in the menu, if you are a lamb lover. Did not taste like lamb chop but season with their own ingredient had make this piece of meat and bone taste so aromatic. Juicy bones and sweet tender meat is something I did not miss eating more than 1.
Rose Wine – La Rosee Chateau 2008
While eating, then Joseph asks us anyone would love to try Rose wine. Immediately I responded, I would love to have a glass as not many places do offer rose wine and its hard to find a nice one too. Joseph then tell me that, I am going to love it as I enjoy the white and red.
Bahhhh, he is certainly right, the wine is chilled and while smelling on it, it did not smell sour yet the taste is inviting. First sip, can taste a bit of the rosy taste, and after swallowing it, it’s a bit dry. Ahh, found my new love of rose wine.
‘Grilled Fish Fillet (Garoupa/Grouper)’ pan grilled, with the fish fillet is soft then eat along with my rose wine, what can I say for, I am enjoying my meal.
‘Mixed Grill including Lamb Mechwe, Kafta Antabli and Kafta Khishkhash’ is dish that can be prepared for more than 3 pax and up to 6pax. Every one can get a bite of every flavour.
‘Kafta Khishkhash’ can be prepared in this way with Lebanese chili style, do not be deceived by the look of it as it does not taste spicy at all, I love it in this way that makes the lamb juice oozing out and the chili mix well and fragrant. I nearly had this whole plate by myself if Coco did not stop me.
‘Baklawa’ is know as Lebanese desert made with layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey, the originality of it when I tried it for the first time when I was studying at Melbourne, I find it very very sweet, but this restaurant had tone down the sugar level and it taste just nice.
While we are finishing what is left on the table, then Joseph keep hurrying us to finish it up and going to show us something special for the night that will bring us to another dimension. Then I was like haaaa?! Puzzled a bit while still biting off my last bite of lamb, at that moment he told us that, there is actually one of his customer which is a very good drinker, first time when he went into the restaurant, the guy ask
Joseph, ‘Heyyy….what is the strongest alcohol you got?, I just want a Bottle of it! And he was like, are you sure, our alcohol is very strong! He said yes, I can drink a lot u know~ just bring me a bottle. Not even 2 hours in the restaurant, Joseph need to call in the bouncer to bring this guy out as he is drunk, and I asked him how much left in the bottle, HALF to go, answered Joseph.! I was like darn..!!
Then Joseph pull out this bottle of alcohol called ‘Arak Fakra’ which is one of the well know brand in the continent. It consist of 53% of alcohol, ways to prepare it is mixed in approximately with a ration of 1 part arak to 2 parts water, and ice is then added.
A bit milky in colour that did not taste too strong with the way it prepared and now only I understand why that guy is drunk as his formula is the other way. 2/3 alcohol and 1/3 water, if were to mixed it like that I think 3 glass is enough to kill me off.
Me enjoying my glass of Arak. Kampaaaiiii~~`
Tastes are a bit different compare to any of our alcohol, as some would feel it taste like one of the Chinese herbs. I had two glass, and Saucer 2nd glass, and see what is the effect of this making to him…keke, that makes Witch have to be the photographer now.
Shisha with wine, just goes along very well. Flavour for the night is ‘Apple’
Chateau Keraya – my new love. . . .
White wine – Blanc de Blancs2008
Rose Wine – La Rosee Chateau 2008
Red Wine – Les Breteches 2007
Besides this great meal, we are celebrating
Coco’s burfthday too… She had turn 21 and now she had the license to kill.
One of the funny question that she asked us, ‘What is the best thing to do when we are 21’.?? All of us gives her funny all type of funny answer.
With this wonderfull cake was
‘Passionfruit Cake’ which is soft and good. Baked by
Sunny (BBO). 
me and Joseph
Thanks for hosting and feeding all of us with great food. We seriously had a great time and thanks for teaching me how to enjoy Lebanese food. With that, I sure know where to recommend my company client to dine for the next round.
Besides this, they do open till late especially on weekend, if you do not know where to find a place for a drink, Al Amar would be a great option too, with their alcohol range, belly dancing girls and live band performance and its packed during the weekend. Certainly I will drop by.
You also can drop by at their Express outlet too at Bukit Bintang. Al-Amar Express.
Al-Amar Lebanese Cuisine
Lot 6.10, Level 6, Pavilion KL,
168, Jalan Bukit Bintang,
50450 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-21661011
Fax: 03-21551300
Opening hours: 10am to 2am
