The food at Barbar was so tasteless I thought I had Covid. Could this really be the same restaurant so many of my friends have been raving about? The same Barbar which is considered a “household name in Lebanon”? I actually sent back my mixed shawarma platter because, in addition to being tasteless, it was as dry as deadwood. What they brought back was no different. The white cheese Manakish, so highly recommended, was ‘meh’ at best. The kibbeh was a joke, a bad one. What I could not fault, however, was the Hummus Beiruti which was excellent, easily one of the best I have had in Dubai. Service was robotically efficient and as artificially friendly as the pleasuring noises call girls make in the movies. I’ve never been the biggest fan of Allo Beirut, but after this experience, I am going out to find a pedestal to put it on – it’s easily the better of the two.
Xerxes (pronounced Zûrk’seez) – Food Adventurer Extraordinaire – Shamelessly Exploring the Boundaries of Gluttony
Xerxes physically dines at, or orders from, each and every venue he reviews. He pays in full for whatever he and his companions eat, drink, take away or occasionally throw at each other. Xerxes accepts no money, gifts, discounts or free meals in return for reviews or favouritism. What you have read was NOT influenced in any way by the venue. Join him on his culinary journey on Instagram: @ravenousxerxes or reach out to him via email on xerxes@dellara.com.