One
of the bloggers that I follow has just recently been to the Middle
East, which sparked my desire to have something exotic for dinner.
We
searched around on the internet and found Rouj Modern Lebanese
Cuisine in Rosalie.
As
we stepped inside the restaurant, we were slightly disappointed with
its décor. There was no intimacy and no exotica. In fact, the
florescent light placed right above my head made me feel more like I
was eating in a food court and I started having doubts about this
place.
My
doubts vanished almost immediately after I took my first bite of the
Lahem bi Ajeen – pastry
shell filled with leg of lamb mince, tomato, onion, nuts & spices
($11.50 for three).
The
spring roll like entrée was followed by even tastier main meals. We
had the Mansaf – slow
cooked leg of lamb pieces, served with fragrant rice, tabouleh and
topped with nuts and caramelised onion ($26.50) and Shish
Tawouk – flame grilled chicken
tenderloin marinated in garlic paste, lemon juice and extra virgin
olive oil, served with fattouch salad and fried chips($24.50).
I
absolutely adored the vibrant colours presented on the lamb dish.
Now, growing up in an Asian family, I've had lots of rice, but the
rice that came with the Mansaf was
nothing like I've tasted before. The exotic middle eastern flavours
of pomegranate, pine nuts, pistachio and tender lamb meat kept
exploding in my mouth one after another.
People
always say that you can't judge a book by its cover. Well, don't let
the interior of Rouj fool you, let its food entertain your taste
buds.
Total
Bunnie Dollars Spent: $72.
