Yesterday, I wrote some notes about the WSET course and how I discovered the hospitality management faculty of La Sagesse university and their restaurant that's open to the public. A four day course, where I had the chance to enjoy a large variety of plates at this restaurant, a restaurant that's deserving of a review.
Up on the third floor of the faculty is the restaurant. Three members of staff work here, older, mature people with lots of experience.
The table was set with the cutlery, bread and decorative flowers in this restaurant that's lightly lit with a view of Beirut's skyline. A set menu was prepared, one that changes on a daily basis.
It started with a salad. Fresh mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, a toasted bread topped with salt, Parmesan cheese, walnuts and rocket leaves. A generous portion prepared like a mountain, colorful vegetables with a flavorful creamy balsamic sauce. I loved the toasted, thinly sliced bread that comes with it and that adds a certain finesse. Simple and tasty.
Bread, very tasty with a lightly crispy envelope and a fluffy heart. A good, not chewy, bread served with butter and black olives.
Meat followed. A large plate with two chunks of meat in their sauce, two broccoli chunks, steamed carrots and a portion of pasta. Delicious and tender meat with a red heart but no blood, a flavorful sauce with hints of pepper and red wine served with steamed vegetables and the pasta, which is cooked al dente, adding what's needed for his plate to be fulfilling and balanced.
The dessert: A multi-layered sponge cake with a trio sauce of chocolate, orange and vanilla topped with a splash of milk chocolate and decorated with strawberries. A mouthwatering fluffy and airy cake with a light enjoyable sponginess sprinkled with cocoa powder. Every bite gets some sauce to add flavor and boost the ingredients. It is indeed delicious.
On the third day, the music was still playing, the staff was still happy and enthusiastic, the tables were set to perfection and food ready to be served. I really enjoyed the experience at the faculty. Every detail around here is taken care of meticulously, as if we were in a fine dining restaurant.
Today's salad was served in a bowl. Cucumbers, tomatoes, frizé lettuce, artichoke and corn in a lemon and olive oil sauce. A simple and fresh salad with the balanced flavors the sauce provides.
A beautiful plate stylishly decorated with a piece of juicy white fish in a bed of creamy lemon sauce and decorated with a slice of grilled lemon. On the side was a cooked potato and grilled capsicum, zucchini and eggplant. A lovely eye candy plate that's also very tasty and juicy. The lemon is felt, capsicum adds a touch of sweetness, the flavor of fish lightly caresses your palate... I enjoyed lunch so much.
Immediately after the main course the waiters pass around the tables to remove the bread plates, bread baskets and salt shakers. They prepare the cutlery for dessert, putting the fork and spoon in their correct place.
Dessert is beautiful. A round plate, beautifully decorated with stripes of strawberry sauce, has a small sized tart on it. A flaky dough with a layer of chocolate under a thick lemon cream with a tender meringue on top. Red fruits and a strawberry decorate the plate with a touch of finesse. I would have preferred it a bit colder, but this doesn't mean it's not delicious. The blend of this premium flaky dough that crumbles under the teeth with the chocolate and lemon combination... Two thumbs up chefs, you made my day, and week.
Best for last... The last day and the best meal to date. A smooth purée like no other, creamy and full of taste and flavor, lightly buttery with potatoes mashed to extreme perfection creating a puree I've rarely ever enjoyed so much. Next to that are the mini steamed zucchini and mini carrots. The chicken was extremely juicy, a white heart with a superb sauce.
The best dessert to date followed. A Mille feuille that was so flaky and so fresh with just the right amount of sweetness. Layered majestically with a certain finesse, this Mille feuille is really the work of a master chef. Inside is a light bodied cream, layers of fresh crunchy biscuits and a caramel sauce on the side. As a decoration they also added a good milk chocolate. I wish to meet this chef and congratulate him on his unique creation.
Great food, beautifully presented created by the chefs of the future. I would surely support them if I were you. Want to try something new and tasty, La Sagesse University it is.
