But then he came over with some pita and dips - hummus, baba ganoush, and I'm not sure what the third one was. Next he brought us cups of cold water. (It was in the nineties - high 30s C - today.)
By this time I'd learned that the man who was bringing such pleasure into our chance meal was named Moseafa, and like the restaurant, he's Lebanese, working for his uncle. When I went to pay, he wouldn't take payment for anything more than the original tabouleh.
I forgot to mention the baklava and another sweet as well as a falafel that he brought over for us to taste.
It's not a big place, but the food was great and the hospitality amazing.
Au Vieux Cédre.
On Rue Saint-Jacques..
Here's what it looks like from outside.
Ah, a good food culture! Like Korean restaurants, there are a number of guest dishes provided without charge. Gene and I became regulars of a wonderful Lebanese restaurant in Melbourne when we where there for an International performance festival in 2006.
ReplyDeleteIt was licensed for alcohol and the owners had corkage fee so one could bring one's own wine (they dropped that once we became frequent diners). The food made for some lovely, long meals and we were able to chat with staff, too. And then the coffee!
A cuisine that is easily enjoyed (without being wealthy) and offered with open hospitality. What's not to like?
Hi Steve, glad you're having a pleasant vacation.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't remember me, we corresponded briefly in 2014 and 2015 on patterns in Alaska elections data.
I kind of got frustrated with the topic shortly after the last email we exchanged and tabled any further work on the subject until late this spring. I reopened it then after encouragement from a friend who used to work for the DNC and Washington and I've made some new findings.
I'm getting ready to hand over the portfolio I've compiled on the subject to some news organizations, advocacy groups, and Lt. Governor Mallott's office, and I wanted to touch base with you on making contacts in AK itself, as I'm still stuck in darkest Pennsylvania with limited travel capability.
I seem to have picked a bad time for that.
It's going to be at least sometime Monday before I have anything presentable, but I wanted to check in with you first.
I'll send something along to your blog's email between now and then with some details, just wanted to give you a heads up.