FYI
WHAT: Mandaloun
WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday
WHERE: 141 S. Maryland Ave., Glendale
COST: $5.95 to $29.95
PHONE: (818) 507-1900
Caravanserai is a lyrical word, meaning a stopping place, where travelers find refuge and comfort from the day's journey. Mandaloun in Glendale is just such a place, where a warm welcome and a delicious feast await.
Located on the second floor of a building on a busy Glendale corner, one might not suspect that such an oasis lies one floor above. Elevator doors glide open onto a room with high ceilings. The tables are covered in peach linens and ornate décor. Beyond the dining room, a leafy patio beckons. A fragrant, fruity haze may billow about as postprandial smokers linger over a shared hookah.
Whether you have dined here many times or are on your first visit, you can expect a happy greeting, and a patient explanation of the voluminous menu, filled with many Lebanese specialties. The extensive wine list offers good value and variety.
My favorite way to explore an unfamiliar cuisine is to sample many appetizers and small dishes, and Mandaloun is a great place to do this, as there are so many tempting choices of meze.
Puffy pitas exude a cloud of steam as they arrive at the table. Divert your attention to the small plate of house- cured olives and blushing pickled turnip batons while the pitas cool, or your eager fingers may be burned. The tempting, fragrant bread is delicious spread with humus (chickpea spread), or mouhammara (red pepper and walnut paste with pomegranate) or another of the flavorful spreads on the menu ($5.50).
Fattoush is a refreshing salad that's full of crunch, with crisp pita "croutons," tomatoes, cucumbers, lots of fresh, chopped parsley and smoky, tangy sumac ($5.95).
Loubieh is a dish with tender green beans slow-cooked with onions, garlic and tomatoes.
Served cold, the flavors are deep and lingering ($5.95).
Kalaj Mandaloun is a small, crisp, pizza-like treat, with halloumi (similar to feta) and zaatar (a sharp and salty spice blend) ($6.95).
Kibbeh Makli ($5.95) are golden spheres of spiced beef with onions and pine nuts, with a satisfying crunch and flavor.
If your appetite is larger than meze-sized, there are numerous lamb specialties, as well as kebabs, shawerma and falafels.
Several menus have been designed for parties of four or more, with a variety of dishes to give the group a good sampler of popular dishes.
The smallest of these, the Fairouz ($19.95 per person) offers Hommos, Baba Ghanouj (eggplant spread), Tabbouleh (bulgur salad), Labni (fresh cheese), Shanklish (cheese, tomato and onion salad), Soujouk (spicy cured sausage with tomato and onion), Rekakat (cheese-filled pastry), Falafel (ground chickpea fritters) and Mixed Grill Kebabs of beef and chicken. Remember, that's the small menu!
My next visit will be on a weekend.
On Friday and Saturday nights, Mandaloun offers a lavish set menu ($36 on Friday and $40 on Saturday, per person) along with live music and belly dancers.
The combination of entertainment and vibrant food would make a memorable evening at the caravanserai.
