Sahara Star restaurant Mabruk brings a relishing Lebanese Cuisine to your table

Chef Jihad, since how many years you have been working with Mabruk Restaurant and please share the best moment with Mabruk Restaurant? 

Chef Jihad:- I have been working with Mabruk – MEDITERRANEAN restaurant at Hotel Sahara star for more than 12 years, since December 2007. My best moment working here was when Mabruk restaurant had won its 1^st Times Food Award within the first year of its opening.

Lebanese cuisine tends to be high on herbs, spices and fresh ingredients. Chef, please tell us how healthy is this cuisine and can we add it to be sustainable food? 

Chef Jihad:- Lebanese cuisine is very healthy as we used all the ingredients of the best quality. Mostly all food dishes are prepared on the same day. As you know all the dishes contain lots of herbs which is very beneficial for the human body and it also adds it’s medicinal value to the food.

Chef, please tell us do you outsource some ingredients for your restaurant or are they easily available locally? 

Chef Jihad:- The ingredients used in the Lebanese cuisine are 90% locally available and the other ingredients such as Sumac, Tahina and 7 spice powder are outsourced from Lebanon.

Mabruk has received the accolade of being the Best Lebanese Restaurant 9 times. Congratulations for the achievement. Chef, in your opinion, what makes Mabruk one of the best Lebanese restaurant in Mumbai? 

Chef Jihad:- Thank you so much for your kind wishes. It is an honour for me to achieve such a prestigious award 9 times. As most of people know that I have been working and gaining knowledge about Lebanese cuisine for the last 30 years of my career. I am born and brought up in Lebanon so whatever dishes I prepare in my restaurant Mabruk is the original and authentic recipe. As well I would like to share with you that my team is my biggest strength as they always support me in achieving success as my family. Last but not least my guests have been very kind to me as I always make sure that they have a great evening and a memorable experience while visiting Mabruk restaurant.

Chef, please tell us about some of the traditional dishes from the Lebanese cuisine and do you cook any of them in Mabruk in Sahara Star? 

Chef Jihad:- Yes, of course, I have tried my best to incorporate the best authentic dishes of Lebanon in the menu of Mabruk restaurant. Some of the dishes are Hummus, Shawarma, Mishwee Mishakal and my favourite and signature dish is Kharoof Mashi, it is made of the leg of baby lamb served on a bed of rice garnished with nuts. It is very healthy and wholesome food for the guests and it’s relished by most of them. Also if the guest wants we prepare it with whole baby lamb as well.

Chef, why would you recommend a Lebanese cuisine to a person dining at Hotel Sahara Star? 

Chef Jihad:- I would suggest the guest to come and experience the authentic Lebanese cuisine served in Mabruk restaurant as most of them are unaware of what actually is Lebanese food. As most of you all know that Lebanese cuisine is upcoming in India and most of the guest only know about Shawarma as the most popular and the only dish of Lebanon but I would like to make them aware of the other delectable dishes as well. Many guests often travel to the Arabic countries and boast about the food they had there, so I would suggest them to have the scrumptious Lebanese food which is easily available in India in Hotel Sahara Star served in the Mabruk restaurant.

Mabruk has very beautiful ambience with a lower seating on a wooden deck with the view of clear to the skydome. Please tell us how important is the ambience of the restaurant? 

Chef Jihad:- As you know that Mabruk is an open sitting restaurant and gives a Lagoon like atmosphere and our guests need to feel extra special. Of course, we are leaving no stone unturned with our impeccable hospitality skills. However, a great ambience with proper lighting that matches the ethos of our cuisine will totally have our guests mesmerised. Eating out is not just about the tongue. It involves all the human senses and if each of these senses is pleased, the whole experience becomes pleasurable. Good music for the ears, the right colour combinations for the eyes and furniture in good material for the touch can really make our restaurant stand out among the rest. All of these have been chosen carefully, such that they follow the theme of our restaurant closely. The service staff of the Mabruk restaurant ensures that every table is cleared as soon as the guests finish their meals and leave. The restaurant should look spick and span at all times.

Please tell us for which dish and what was the best compliment or appreciation you have received from the guest? 

Chef Jihad:- All our dishes have been praised by our guests equally. The dishes served are freshly prepared each day and are made up of best quality ingredients which automatically enhances the taste of the food. The dishes served are made using the authentic and original recipes of Lebanese cuisine which my mother has taught me. Some of the best dishes are Warak Inab, Hummus, Shawarma, Falafel, Kharoof Mashi and many more. Mabruk serves the best Lebanese cuisine in Mumbai.

Tell us about the soups and Lebanese desserts which you offer in your restaurant? How do you select and decide the soup and desserts to place it on your menu? 

Chef Jihad:- Mabruk serves Mutton soup for non -vegetarians and Lentil soup for the vegetarians. We also serve Baklava as a dessert which is one of the most relished food items on the menu. We cater to the preferences of the guests as well,  such as if a guest wants to have chicken soup or a mix nuts baklava I try to serve the food as per the guest’s request.
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