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Situated in Seef area in the sparkling Platinum Tower is a gem of a restaurant offering diners scrumptious Middle Eastern and international fare that is flavourful, authentic and wholesome food for the soul.
For the past two years, food lovers across the island have been flocking to the Kasbah Restaurant & Lounge for its cosy and chilled ambience and tasty cuisine. According to Hossam Hassan, the restaurant manager, the café-style venue which boasts a terrace with an outdoor seating area, has something for everyone.
Hossam said: “People love us for our relaxed atmosphere and décor and especially for our food. We have a bountiful menu with a mixture of international and Middle Eastern food, with a focus on Arabic grills and cuisine.
“We are busy from morning until late at night. We get a lot of diners coming in for our breakfasts, in particular our Bahraini-style breakfast, and our evenings are full of people playing backgammon while enjoying a mezze, coffee or our special kunafa dessert. Also, when the weather is better and football is on, we have tons of people seated outside watching a game until closing time.
“Our business lunch is also popular with people working in the area. We have been attracting customers from day one and are excited to be celebrating our second anniversary in October. We definitely will do something special and are also planning on updating our menu and making changes after Eid.”
What really makes it stand out though is the quality of the food … and that is thanks to Jordanian Chef Udai and the kitchen and serving teams.
Chef Udai specialises in Arabic cuisine, in particular his national dish called mansaf which is a traditional meal made of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yoghurt and served over a bed of rice placed over a layer of bread.
It is a dish that every tourist must try when visiting Jordan and also a huge part of the Eid celebrations there. It is not for the faint-hearted and the yoghurt might make it a touch heavy for novices, so it’s best eaten in small bites. However, trust me; being a Jordanian Palestinian, this is one dish you will NOT want to miss.
According to Hossam, the venue’s mansaf is the’ best on the island’. He said: “People love it and can’t get enough of it!”
Challenge accepted! My husband, Sam and I had to put the mansaf to the test and invited our friend, Imran Al Aradi, to share the experience. Before starting our culinary journey, Sam told the chef that he has some big shoes to fill as in his opinion, my mum makes the best mansaf. Chef Udai smiled, nodded and told us to sit back and get ready for the feast.
As we relaxed on a cushy sofa, our friendly server for the evening, Czerina Gatus, made sure we were comfortable and refreshed with water with lemon wedges.
Within minutes she brought over a delicious, creamy lentil soup. We then tried every type of hummus imaginable, showcasing the chef’s skills and versatility.
Hummus beirtouti, which includes diced tomatos, oinions and parsley, was bursting with flavour. There was also regular hummus which was yum, along with a spicy hummus and hummus topped with tender shawarma meat.
Another Jordanian breakfast favourite made its way to our table was the foul moudamas, which is boiled dried fava beans mixed with chopped vegetables and spices. The mutabal, an eggplant dip, was also good and great with the regular and crispy Lebanese bread.
My favourite appetiser though was the falafel which made me smile and nostalgic for my early Jordanian days. After one bite, I felt as though I was back in my auntie’s garden in Amman. Imran loved it too and even Sam, who doesn’t usually eat falafel, agreed it was the best he had ever tasted.
After a few minutes, a juicy and well-seasoned mixed grill was placed in front of us along with kabab bil laban (which is minced beef in yoghurt sauce) to be eaten with vermicelli rice.
The kabab bil laban, which is a cone-shaped meatball, was unlike the usual kababs I’ve eaten as it was stuffed with feta cheese. Being a cheese lover, I had no complaints.
The three of us were already starting to get full as we enjoyed the assortment of kebabs, tikka and lamb chops, but we knew that the pièce de résistance would be arriving soon and we needed to make room for that.
When Czerina brought over the mansaf we all stopped and admired the leg of lamb placed on the yellow rice. It was accompanied by a bowl full of yoghurt sauce. Even though the meat and rice is already smothered in it, always add more as it gives the dish even more of a kick!
Sam and I exchanged looks as soon as we took the first bite. We knew that my mum had been dethroned. The lamb was tender and melted off the bone. The sauce was savoury and not bitter. The rice was fluffy and the bread was perfect.
I called my mum afterwards and told her how amazing it was and we will be heading there for the next family Friday. My dad can’t wait.
We topped off the evening with some coffee and Moroccan tea.
It was a wonderful evening full of great food and lots of laughs. By the time we left at 10pm, the venue was still buzzing.
The restaurant is open from 8am to 1am on weekdays and to 2am on weekends.
