Fairouz Restaurant and Lounge

Hummus

Smooth, well-seasoned chickpea dip — a baseline indicator of kitchen quality at any Lebanese restaurant, and reportedly executed well here

Baba Ganoush

Charred eggplant dip with tahini and lemon — the smokiness is the measure of effort, and Lebanese restaurants in this tier rarely phone it in

Kibbeh

Fried bulgur-and-lamb shells with a spiced meat filling — a cornerstone of Lebanese mezze that rewards restaurants who make them in-house

Fattoush

Crisp romaine and tomato salad with fried pita chips and a tangy sumac-lemon dressing — bright and acidic, a good foil to the richer mezze

Mixed Grill Platter

Combination of kafta, shish taouk, and lamb skewers served with rice, vegetables, and bread — the standard test of a Lebanese kitchen's grill work

Kafta

Hand-seasoned ground lamb and beef skewers with parsley and onion, chargrilled — a reliable crowd-pleaser at Lebanese restaurants and likely a menu centerpiece here

Shish Taouk

Marinated chicken skewers with a garlic-lemon profile — ubiquitous on Lebanese menus, and one of the more forgiving dishes to judge kitchen consistency by

Baklava

Honey-soaked phyllo and nut pastry — standard dessert finish at Lebanese restaurants, quality varies widely by sourcing