Ethnic dining can be fun and exciting. And so it was when we visited Ara Kalfayan's reborn Phoenicia Restaurant in Glendale. We first met Ara in 1978 when he opened the original Phoenicia. An astute restaurateur Ara was then ahead of his time with an outstanding wine list in an era when such a list was most unusual.
Now there is a new and dazzling Phoenicia. We were awed at what Ara has done with this new contemporary styled restaurant with a large dining room and two equally large outdoor patios. Just as exciting is the authentic Eastern Mediterranean and Lebanese cuisine which has always been Ara's hallmark. Decorations include artifact reminders of the ancient seafaring Phoenicians mixing with colorful peach colored linen and napkins. And trust Ara Kalfayan to find some exciting Lebanese wines. We opened by tasting some most interesting vintages from Lebanon. Wines from that country still show the French influence of earlier eras. Chateau Kefraya 1996 Comte de M was a French chateau styled wine of Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedre and Syrah aged for 16 months in French oak. It was a very good wine, hearty yet smooth and a long finish. It is produced in the Bakaa Valley just 18 miles from Cana where the Bible tells us Jesus turned water into wine.
With this wine our appetizers included Hommos; Labni, Lebanese cream cheese served with garlic; Warak Enab, grape leaves stuffed with rice, oil and vegetables, cooked in lemon juice and olive oil, and Tabbouleh, chopped parsley, crushed wheat, tomatoes and onions.
Some hot appetizers we tasted included Kibbeh Makli, beef dumpling stuffed with ground beef; Bourghoul , onions and pine nuts as well as San Bousek, freshly prepared dough with ground beef and pine nuts and Rekakat, a selection of Lebanese cheese baked in a pastry dough. Our wine here was Chateau Ksara 2004 Reserve Du Couvert which was a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. This winery dates back to 1857.
A true delicacy is Lessanat, lamb tongue, cooked to a tender finish with lemon and olive oil. This can be served hot or cold. We chose it cold and it was perfect with a 2001 Chateau Fakra Cabernet Sauvignon which is produced in the Kfardebian Valley north of Berut. Our samplers of grill selections included Beef Kafta, ground beef, onions, parsley and spices, grilled on skewers. This is one of our favorites and arrived with two lamb chops marinated with spices and grilled. Here we had a most unusual wine, Massaga 2003 Rhone styled blend, also from the Bahaa valley, of Censaulis, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvedre. Mellow and with a hint of sweetness it was a welcome companion to the meats. This is a restaurant where everything is done well and most professionally. For us it was a memorable dining experience.
Phoenicia is located at 343 North Central Avenue in Glendale with free off street parking. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. except on weekends there is live entertainment with a 2 a.m. closing time. For more information or reservations call 818 956-7800.
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