Lebanese Taverna has grown over the years, opening little “Cafe” versions of the restaurant all over the Washington area. But the Holy Grail of Lebanese dining is still split between the original location on Washington Blvd. in Arlington and the large installation on Connecticut Ave. between Woodley Road and Calvert Street. You start with a cold, crisp Almaza beer, washing it down with just-baked pita dipped into smoky baba ganoush dotted with tart, bright red pomegranate seeds. It's hard to type and salivate at the same time. Excuse me for a moment….
Main courses include the Kibbeh appetizer (lamb, mint and bulghur balls enclosing a buttery mixture of pine
nuts, mint and lamb), the Mehshi Warak Inab (grape leaves wrapped around a lemony mixture of rice and meat), Chicken Schwarma (marinated chicken strips with a garlic/tahini puree), Lamb Kabobs (they have chicken and beef too, but why bother?) and the impossibly tasty Fatteh bel Djej (roasted chicken breast on top of buttery fried pita chips in yogurt with garlic, pine nuts and mint. Sides of yogurt salad (cucumber, garlic, mint) and Fattoush (a lebanese salad with radishes, pomegranate extract, toasted pita and sumac dressing).
These are just suggestions. If nothing here sounds good to you, there is a McDonald's directly across the street. Don't take up a seat from the more deserving! Make reservations at (202) 265-8681. They are always crowded for dinner. Click here to see their dinner menu. (L., D., Bar) Price range: Moderate.
