Samara Cuisine is dedicated to sharing the delights of Lebanon.

Traditionally the Lebanese express their identity through the intertwining of religion, food, music and dance. Lebanese culture and traditions are honored at haflis (parties), mahrajans (feasts), and by musical youth groups playing the traditional five-stringed instrument, the oud. Religious events such as Easter, and the St. Maron feast day, tend to be associated with the cooking of food by many chefs.

One of the items frequently on menus is mezze, a fabulous spread of all kinds of Lebanese specialties served in small dishes. These dishes, served mostly cold or at room temperature, are delightful and refreshing on a hot summer day.

There's tabbouli, made with cracked wheat (bulgur), mint, fresh herbs, onions, tomatoes, lemon juice and olive oil. Also hommus, well-known to most people, and baba ghanouj, the eggplant puree with the smoky taste, mixed with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Tahini is a delicious sesame seed paste, and baba ghanouj is a firm favorite in restaurants.

There are vegetables stuffed with meat, pine nuts, or almonds; stuffed grape leaves; fattoush, a salad made with Lebanese pita bread, lettuce, cucumber, green pepper and tomatoes, to which we add our own special dressing.
There are marinated chicken kebabs, kafta (Lebanese hamburger), and lebanese pastry filled with spinach.

Another favorite is raw kibbeh, made with extra-fine lean beef or lamb, to which are added cumin, onion, mint and olive oil. This dish needs to be specially ordered, because it is not cooked.

A Mezze is a great way to enjoy all the different tastes of Lebanese food. Mezze stems from a very Mediterranean idea that highlights the importance of sharing food and conversations with others.

Desserts are delicious too. The famous Middle Eastern baklava is a tiny diamond-shaped morsel of pastry made with honey and ground walnuts.

It tastes like pure heaven: transitory, fragile and poetic. There are also butter cookies (mamool), made with pistachios, pine nuts, walnuts, dates or almonds.

The Lebanese like to drink mint tea and lemonade and strong coffee. Arak, an alcohol of grapes flavored with anise, is strong and milky. There is also an amazing, savoury yogurt drink with fresh mint, called ayran-a. A delight on a hot summer day.

And if you want to experience another timeless pleasure of Lebanese life try the narguileh - or hubbly-bubbly- a water pipe full of aromatic fruit-spiced smoke.