Middle East - Anthony Ham [423]
Al-Andalib (Map; 222 4030; Sharia al-Baron; set menu S£200; noon-1am) The atmosphere at this rooftop restaurant one block north of the Baron Hotel is boisterous, and the place is packed most evenings. It serves a huge set meal of kebabs, salads, dips and fries. There’s a S£50 service charge and a limited alcohol list. Come prepared to have a good time.
Abou al-Nawas (Map; 211 5100; Sharia Rashid; meals from S£225) This long-standing favourite has a menu that stretches way beyond the basics to include the kind of dishes that are usually only ever served up at home (patrons are often invited into the kitchen to choose from the daily pots). There’s an excellent-value set meal for S£225, which gives you a daily dish of your choice with rice or fries, pickles, tea or coffee, and a sweet. Be clear that this is what you’re ordering, because the waiters inevitably encourage you to order a more expensive main dish instead. No alcohol.
Restaurant-Coffee Shop Ahlildar (Map; 333 0841; Souq ibn al-Khashab; meals from S£250; 8.30am-10pm) Overlooking the entrance to the Great Mosque, this fine restaurant means you can eat and then return to the souqs without having to traipse all the way back to Al-Jdeida for lunch. The food is fresh and tasty (we especially enjoyed the grilled cheese and well-priced shish tawooq for S£125), and there’s a huge range of mezze, salads, soups, grills and a few Western dishes such as pizza. The inside tables are pleasant, but the upstairs terrace is the best.
Bazaar al-Charq (Map; 224 9120; meals S£300 ) A pleasant alternative to the ubiquitous courtyard restaurants of Aleppo and Damascus, Bazar al-Charq is set in a reconstructed underground bazaar with vaulted ceilings, between Sharia al-Mutanabi and Sharia Hammam al-Tal. It has an extensive menu of mezze, grills, salads, soups and a few plats de jour; our lentil soup and mixed grill went down a treat. The live traditional music at 10.30pm Wednesday to Sunday rounds out a nice package. Our only complaint? When it came time to pay, ‘service is not included’ was whispered in our ears and they were disinclined to return our change.
Beit Wakil (Map; 221 7169; Sharia as-Sissi; meals S£300; ) Once Aleppo’s best eatery, this hotel-restaurant does have a lovely setting in one of Al-Jdeida’s most beautiful buildings. Guests sit in an atmospheric courtyard and can choose from an array of mezze and local specialities. The food is good though not spectacular, and service can be stuffy. It’s licensed and accepts credit cards.
Sissi House (Map; 221 9411; www.sissihouse.com; meals S£350-500; ) Just off Saahat al-Hattab in the Al-Jdeida quarter, this upmarket restaurant is where Aleppo’s glam set hangs out. Like the restaurant at Beit Wakil, it specialises in decent local variations on Levantine cuisine and offers a choice of over 50 mezze dishes. The licensed menu is in Arabic and French only, and doesn’t list prices. Credit cards are accepted and there’s often live music (oud from the stairs, followed by a wandering violinist).
Kaser al-Wali (Map; 446 1389; meals S£350-500; 9am-1.30am; ) In the northwestern corner of Al-Jdeida, off Sharia al-Arba’aeen, Kaser al-Wali has fast become the restaurant of choice of many locals and travellers in Damascus. The expansive covered courtyard is rather lovely, the food contains all the usual suspects but they’re especially good here, and there’s live traditional music from 10.30pm Wednesday to Monday.
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DRINKING
If you’re after a drink only, the upstairs bar at Sissi House (opposite) is open until late and hosts a jazz pianist every night of the week, with a singer on Saturdays. It’s the most sophisticated bar in town.
Nostalgia buffs may want to pop into the pricey, small bar at the venerable Baron Hotel (Click here), but most visitors prefer the laidback Al-Mashrabia Pub & Restaurant (Map; 211 5249; 4pm-1.30am) in Al-Jdeida, where the drinks are cheaper (local beer S£100) and the decor is more atmospheric; there’s also an extensive snack menu here. Ciao (Map; Sharia al-Arba’aeen;