Chef Benny Doro

Dinner at Toros

One of the things that makes Lebanon such an amazing place is the people and the family's. Tonight I was invited into my friends home Toro's along with my other friend Rafi and his Wife Mara (Toros is Rafi's friend). I was warned that we would be eating good......no scratch that eating GREAT! Between the kids, the grandparents, the Chivas and the conversation the food was just perfect in so many ways. The care that these women had put into the food was unbelievable. Every plate from the cheese and filo pie to the amazing Kebobs you could just tell as they brought them out that is was so important that everyone enjoyed and loved their food.  Let me take you through  a small glimpse of the night.

I am going to start with the first thing that hit the table and let me tell you the second it hit there was a piece of it on my plate. This is a cheese and filo pie but not just any cheese and filo pie. This one takes over 6 hours to make. First each layer is boiled in water, pastry then cheese, then its layered as one layer now repeat this 20 times then you bake. It was I cant explain the flavor, the was not like some cheap Greek deli out of a box flavor or texture there were undertones from the cheese that I had not tasted before, the inside was creamy even the pastry then you hit the crust and it was crunchy and just perfect. I wanted to take a piece home.... why did I not!

Fantastic salads and greens alwasy on the table this was rocket with some feta cheese mint, tomatos with lemon and olive oil

Tabbouleh was as good as anywhere I have had and in fact I could taste the love the ladies put in. They even made sure we have separate plated because of all the juice they did not want it to run on the plate. they MADE sure I had this was not to disappoint.

if anyone thinks that Houmus is easy to make think again. So many things can go wrong and trust me if this is  not up to scratch you will be in disgrace this one you need to get right and these ladies blew me away.

This I had never had and now a favorite. This is Armenian prosciutto. Is was very tender, light salty taste and was made from a cow. Wow, this with some good bread and cheese and I am done for lunch.

The kebabs start coming out of the kitchen in bundles and they were the star of tonight. lamb, beef and chicken just rocked. amazing seasoning, perfectly cooked, tender and just God dam beautiful! There was also some Turkish sausage that we all ate before I could take a picture that was big on paprika and almost had the texture of blood sausage.

simply perfect I only wished I went to the kitchen to see them being prepared next time.

We finish the meal with some watermelon seeds and some spicy almonds on the table with fresh fruit which one of the women was so gracious to peel and cut up for the guys.

I leave you with this reflection, as amazing as the food was and as lucky I was to be able to sample what a family would have together on a week night, as i listened to the family talk, the included me, they made me feel like one of them putting food on my plate, putting ice into my glass and inviting me to do the same. I think that no matter how great this food was what made it a evening that touched my heart was that it was a part of an evening of family, friends, laughs and people who really cared about the food but most importanntly about thier families and the friend.

Thank you Toros and Thank you Rafi and most of all thank you to the wonderful ladies who made beautiful food.

A powerful and attractive man my friend Toros.

Much Love,

Benny