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Feastingat the SouksBy Marwan Naaman

When it first opened in early 2011, Momo at the Souks instantly became Beirut’s trendiest nightspot. The restaurant and lounge was the first establishment of its kind to open in the Beirut Souks, infusing glamour into an area that, up until that point, seemed destined to exist solely as an upscale shopping center.

Two years on, and the eatery hasn’t lost any of its luster. In a city where most restaurants open with a bang and end up receding into the shadows shortly after their initial success, Momo at the Souks has managed to maintain its standards, and it’s in fact a great place to celebrate New Year’s Eve or have a pre- or after-Christmas feast.

The restaurant’s success is due, at least partly, to Momo himself, the Algerian-born restaurateur who opened London’s Michelin-starred restaurant Sketch and the original Momo restaurant, also located in the British capital. Other renowned Momo ventures include 404, Andy Wahloo and Derrière (all three in Paris) as well as Almaz in Dubai.

For Beirut, Momo teamed up with designers Annabel Karim Kassar and Violaine Jantet to create eclectic interiors featuring a mix of vintage and designer furniture pieces. In the dining area, red velvet seats,

Relish French-Moroccan cuisine at Momo’s digs

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golden chairs and a spinning wall lamp that resembles a disco ball all combine to create interiors that are over-the-top yet still exude luxury. The lounge section has comfy, low-rise seating areas in reds, browns and blues, as well as a circular bar with high chairs that gets particularly busy after 11pm.

The cuisine is just as inventive as the setting, with French-Moroccan fusion dishes adorning the menu. Starters include the traditional Moroccan specialty mechouia,a salad made with crushed peppers, olive oil, coriander and cumin; a light but tasty organic salad with crunchy vegetables; and homemade raviolis (three extra-large pieces) stuffed with spinach, pine nuts and ricotta and swimming in a tangy boursin-gorgonzola cream sauce.

There are various options for your main course, but this writer highly recommends Momo’s specialty couscous, a simple dish of couscous accompanied by generous sides of vegetables in broth, lamb, grilled chicken brochette and grilled merguez sausage. For a decadent feast, place all the meat on top of the couscous, spill the vegetable broth over the whole thing and dig in. It’s the best couscous you’ll have this side of the Mediterranean. (If you’re not a meat lover, Momo offers a vegetarian couscous that’s just as enjoyable.)

Another main course option is the chicken tajine,fragrant with the citrus flavors of lemon confit and served with purple olives and saffron potatoes. The chicken comes in the traditional tajine earthenware covered pot, so it stays hot and sizzling as you’re eating, retaining its moisture and its complex flavors.

Then there’s dessert. Your options here are varied, but let’s single out three superior choices. If you’re in the mood for something light, opt for ice cream and sorbet in such unusual flavors as apple-coriander, chestnut, tangerine and labneh. More adventurous diners can choose Momo CC, a variation on the typical cheesecake served inside a delicate sablé and mixed with blackcurrants, blackcurrant jelly and blackcurrant almond paste. If you’re a chocolate lover, the Bagdad Café, which consists of a crunchy biscuit topped with chocolate mousse, vanilla crème brulée and kahlua cream, and comes with a scoop of caramel ice cream, is a wise choice.

After dinner, head into Momo’s bar and order a White Russian. Your dinner may be over, but your night of revelry is just beginning.

For reservations, tel. 01.999.767 or 76.700.407.

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