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Downtown...Just one little detail can make this restaurant perfect.
Downtown is one of the oldest restaurants in Lebanon serving a wide range of international dishes. Serving generations with the same taste and culinary know how, Downtown is a a mix of beautifully blended architectural details, warm colors, professional and friendly staff who knows each of their customers by name, their famous salad bar island... are a few the many things that make you want to visit the place again and again.
Downtown is made for people who seek guarantees and consistency; you always know what to expect... The same professional waiters, the same simple menu, the same delicious taste... The same great experience our parents discovered and liked before us.
Every visit is a confirmation of excellence.
I passed by Downtown, Kaslik, for a Mussels and French Fries night with my family. Marriniere or Cream are two choices served. Tasty and fresh, you'll enjoy them as they are perfectly prepared like that at La Gondole in Beirut or Chez Leon in Brussels. While every one enjoyed the Mussels and French Fries, I went for their Sushi. I always try their sushi selection to check for changes and improvements. I love their Duo Sashimi Salads, but for Downtown to be the perfect place, their maki wraps - taste and ingredients must be reconsidered.
Let me tell you why:
- The rice is slightly over cooked
- The wraps go into pieces every time you grab one
- The special wraps are way too big. Huge! It's very hard to chew. We appreciate your generosity but instead of serving one piece, divide them in two or use less rice. Big is not better. Many tried and didn't succeed. A maki piece has an international standardized size.
- The normal soy sauce (red) is provided by Kikoman, while the low in sodium one (green) is by another unknown brand. I didn't understand why
- The salmon skin temaki is too dry and crunchy to the extent its scratches your palate
Downtown is one of the few, if not the only occidental restaurant in Lebanon that takes you back memory lane, to the days where opening an eatery needed some know-how. This is why this place has survived so long.
Unfortunately today I can't say the same about other places in Lebanon. Although the number of restaurants have increased, the quality has dropped tremendously - as most places are owned and managed by amateurs who only have some cash to invest.
Use Downtown as an example... You might learn a thing or two about the restaurant business...
