RESTAURANT REVIEW: LA VERANDA

RATING

****

When you consider places to have Iftar, I am sure La Veranda would not be high on your list, if at all, but it turned out to be such a delightful surprise. Located at the 4 star Sheraton Khalidiya, it is in one of the busiest spots in the capital where finding a parking space could easily turn into a nightmare. Thank God for valet service!

Walking into the restaurant, I was surprised at how busy it was. It was right about Iftar time, and we were keen to dig right in. Staff was very efficient, given how busy it was, and immediately showed us to the nearest table offering us water and dates to break our fast. 

The buffet had a very decent selection of hot and cold appetizers, mains and desserts. I started off with lentil soup, a Ramadan staple, and added a squeeze of lemon and some pita croutons. It was really good and had the right consistency, thick and creamy. Next, came the appetizers. I absolutely love appetizers, and have been known to go to restaurants to order only appetizers. I piled my plate high with all sorts of appetizers - mutabbal (eggplant dip), hummus, stuffed vine leaves, labaneh, fattoush, corn salad, fried shrimp, kubbeh, spinach, cheese and meat fatayer (pastries) and much more. The kubbeh was definitely the star of the show. It was one of the best kubbehs I ever had, and I immediately had to get more!

The main dishes were also top-notch, with lots of options to choose from. I had some fried chicken, steak with mushroom sauce and a little spiced rice with yogurt. Although the chicken was a little dry, the flavor was really good that I found myself eating the whole thing, while the steak was nice and tender. 

Finally, my favorite part of buffets: the dessert bar! I didn’t know where to start! The selection was vast and had an amazing variety of Arabic and Western desserts as well as fruits. I put a little of everything, and thankfully the portions were small enough that you didn’t feel too bad afterwards. My favorites were the millefeuille, which were perfectly crisp and creamy, the asafiri (Arabic cream-filled pancakes) topped with orange blossom simply syrup, and last but definitely not least, the chocolate mousse cup. The chocolate mousse was mouthwateringly decadent that it makes you want to lick the cup afterwards or do something equally inappropriate in public.

Throughout my constant trips back and forth to the buffet, the plates were being cleared in a very timely and efficient manner, and our glasses were never without water. I needed to end my night with a good cup of coffee before heading out, so I ordered a black. Unfortunately, it was a little too strong for my liking and tasted a bit burnt, so I couldn’t drink it. 

All in all, I left La Veranda feeling extremely content and satiated.