The Monte Cassino Hotel, nestled on a beautiful hill in Tabarja overlooking Jounieh bay, is a place everyone has been talking about last summer. I couldn't come here earlier, but here I am and my plan is to have breakfast.
Take the back entrance of Casino du Liban and head to the parking area, the hotel will appear on your right. You’ll discover a concrete floor, stone walls, a welcoming building and a wide reception with the restaurant nestled in the right wing.
Tulip Bistro Lounge offers breakfast, lunch and dinner handled by chef Wissam Kairouz. Breakfast is a choice of three set menus as well as a la carte ordering. During the day appetizers, soups, salads, pasta, main courses and desserts are also available.
At Monte Cassino breakfast is served a la carte and not a buffet:
- The continental special includes a hot beverage, fresh juice, a basket of freshly baked bread, mini croissants, jams and honey, cornflakes and a fruit salad.
- Lebanese Breakfast: Mfarki (fried eggs with potato), labneh and local cheese, freshly baked Arabic bread, mankoushe, fresh vegetables.
- A la Carte: Eggs, labneh, foul, fruit salad, pancakes, croissants (freshly baked) and a pot of yogurt.
First impressions:
- The place is very well lit and looks clean.
- The service is smooth.
- The music is soothing and fits breakfast perfectly.
- Unfortunately the view is blocked by a facing building.
- The tables are decorated with flowerpots.
- Fresh aromas welcome you and accompany you during your meal.
- I wished they had Eggs Benedict but they don't and actually the waitress doesn't know what "Eggs Benedict" are.
- The tablecloths and napkins are more suitable for curtains and not to wipe your mouth with.
The place's little details:
- White marble covers the floor.
- Two stainless steel columns decorate the space.
- LED lights add a touch of color at night.
- Black tables fill in the space, surrounded by relaxing sofas.
- To the left is the bar, a small bar loaded with bottles.
- Grey or dark wood, the walls are all covered.
- Two glass facades give a view of the parking lot and the sea.
And so we waited... Thirty long minutes to be served... And we were literally alone. Labneh, bread and bites do not need that much time to be served. I was there for a quick breakfast... When breakfast was served, all that made sense.
Breakfast is very generous: Impressive.
- We received a plate of manakish, four Zaatar and four cheese. Warm and fluffy, the kashkawan cheese has a pleasant salty feel on a good dough. The Zaatar was also very good. A generous portion of Zaatar on crispy dough, I enjoyed the homey feel of those mini bites, especially with Labneh on top.
- The croissants are really good. It's hard to find a flaky croissant at a hotel, a croissant that's not too buttery, not chewy, filled with Zaatar and so enjoyable. A plate containing six Zaatar croissants, two chocolate and two Danish pastry rolls.
- Eggs, simply good eggs. Freshly cooked, lightly colored scrambled eggs mixed with colorful, diced vegetables.
- A bowl of cornflakes, another of fruit salad, and all you have to do is to mix them together to enjoy an amazing sensation.
- I personally preferred not to eat the foul, as it may have contained garlic, but my friend tells me it was good.
- The pancakes are good. Two large pancakes, one on top of the other and soaked in maple syrup. I liked them, although the maple syrup was too much . Next time I'll order them without the syrup and add it at my convenience.
- I forgot to tell you about the two breadbaskets. Two large breadbaskets, one filled with white and brown baguettes, while the other contains Lebanese bread and Pain de Mie.
- The chocolate croissants are really amazing! Mini, flaky, warm croissants with a moist heart filled with two lines of chocolate, a chocolate that's not too milky or sweet. Bravo!
I didn’t come here with high expectations and wasn't expecting to be amazed. The food is really good, the portions are very generous, the choices are interesting, the plates look good and the service is good for such a place.
I've always asked myself where can I relax and enjoy a calm breakfast in Keserwan, I believe I now have the answer.
I enjoyed today's breakfast and might come back for it soon.
