An Express meal you will want to linger over

Moutabel is eggplant with tahini, and pomegranate seeds... a great starter. Pictures by Eu Hooi Khaw

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 Whenever anybody mentions Lebanese food, I am always reminded of the first Lebanese restaurant in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, many years ago. I remember getting into a sort of Bedouin tent and having a feast inside. Since then, Lebanese food and other Middle-Eastern cuisines have become more familiar to me.

Its a different experience though at Al-Amar Express, a casual Lebanese diner in front of Fahrenheit 88 (the former KL Plaza). Its got glass walls, and a half open-air concept, which gives you a clear view of the more formal Al-Amar Restaurant in the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur across the road. You feel the throb of the city as you dine, and do some people watching at the same time.

This platter of beef and chicken chawarma is bursting with flavour.

First the drinks Lebanese beer and wines then the shisha was offered. Two among us took it up and tried to puff away, and one ended feeling quite high (possibly through lack of oxygen)! I watched the cloud of smoke enveloping the face of the Al-Amar man trying to get the shisha going.

I always enjoy the starters in a Lebanese or any Middle-Eastern meal. They are so satisfying that I could be quite happy not having the main courses. Here we had the delicious Moutabal, a smoky eggplant and tahini (sesame paste) dip with a well of olive oil and pomegranate seeds which we ate with Lebanese bread. The pomegranate seeds delivered a lovely sweet punch to it.

The Hommos was just as lovely whole chick peas soaked in olive oil varied the texture of this chickpea paste and tahini dip that was so thick and creamy.

Getting the shisha going is not an easy job!

You must eat the Tabbouleh here it has mellow, balanced flavours, a mix of bulgur wheat, chopped cucumber, tomato, cucumber, parsley and mint.

Labneh is Lebanese cream cheese made of strained yoghurt topped with olive oil, and resembles hommos in appearance. It has a sharp tartness that makes you reach out for the Lebanese bread to soothe your palate.

Likewise the Warak Enab or vine leaf rolls filled with rice, tomato and parsley that were too tart and salty. But in between we ate some small savoury pastries that restored some balance to the palate, such as the cheese rolls that squirted out melted cheese, Spinach Fatayer filled with baby spinach, onions and lemon zest, and Beef Sambousik stuffed with spiced minced beef.

So far we had had an almost vegetarian, healthy, refreshing start. The mains were about meat, whether chawarma style, in sausage form in baguettes or beef and lamb patties in burgers. We also shared a very cheesy pizza and an exceptional roast chicken.

Chawarma is about meat grilled and hung from a spit and sliced thinly. We had some beef and chicken chawarma served with small pickled cucumbers and onions, tomato, French fries and a tartare dip. The tender meat delivered a whoosh of spiced flavours. If you just order this, it is a delightful, complete meal.

The Al-Amar burger has a minced lamb and beef patty topped with a slice of cheddar cheese and grilled onion, which you should slather with the brown garlic sauce. Altogether it makes a juicy, tasty burger. In between bites, you could have some fries and coleslaw at the side.

Meats are always well-seasoned with spices here, and the lamb sausage in the baguette is no exception. It could do with a bit less salt though.

Pick up a slice of the hot Manakeesh or pizza, and threads of lovely melted mozzarella and bulgari cheese refuse to be disentangled. Its topping is of spiced chicken and thin slices o! f kafta.

The luscious creme caramel here is worth trying.

Al-Amars roast chicken is well-known. Its seasoned with garlic, bay leaves and spices before roasting, and the skin is crispy. It comes to the table covered with a thin Lebanese bread, which you eat with this delicious chicken, fries, pickles and garlic sauce. The caf should be doing a lot of takeaways with this roast chicken.

It has a promising dessert menu as well. Try the Achtalieh, a Lebanese milk pudding with banana slices at the bottom, and ground pistachios on top that is so heavenly. Scented with rose water, it tastes like a very smooth pannacotta.

The Crme Caramel gets my vote too, for its superb texture, and balanced flavours. It was not too sweet.

I was wowed by the ice-cream the pistachio one, and the vanilla ice-cream, made with vanilla bean. The strawberry sorbet was zippy, with pure fruit.

Its inexpensive eating here. The appetisers are from RM10 to RM12, Chawarma RM26, Al Amar Burger RM25, Lebanese pizza RM16, whole roast chicken RM26, desserts RM12.

Al-Amar Express is located in front of Fahrenheit 88, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur (Tel: 03-2141-3814).