Comptoir Libanais - Bath Food Review
Posted on: 2017-02-21
Our rating:
A fun place for the whole family
Relaxed and tasty, that is how I would describe my visit to Bath’s (fairly new) Comptoir Libanais restaurant.
Already a big hit with locals, students and tourists it sits in a well-chosen place, in the South Gate Centre and only a stone's throw away from the station. The window invites you into a beautiful bejeweled but modern interior with plenty of seating and good spacing between tables so you can see it could suit couples wanting a quiet chat, business people and large groups.
I went with my daughter who has become a devout veggie (you know how they can be, like ex-smokers – picky) so this would be something of a test. We started with a shared Mezze Platter (£9.50/£15.95) consisting of an ample sample of every tasty thing that represents a typical (non-meat) Middle Eastern appetizer; smoked aubergine dip, Baba ghanuj, hommos, tabbouleh, falafel, lentil salad, cheese sambousek, pickles & pita bread, while we drank delicious homemade lemonades. Even the jug of water on the table was refreshing as it contained a bunch of plump mint sprigs.
The menu is fairly standard across the restaurant chain but most dishes are cooked on the premises, and you can see the meat grill to the side of the restaurant. I ordered mixed kebabs (£13.25), not adventurous I know but I wanted to see how this staple would compare to others I have known in Bath. I was pleasantly surprised as the kebabs were good quality meat and light tasting at the same time, not greasy or too heavy. They were also accompanied by additional sauces and a crisp salad.
My girl had a traditional flat bread aka Mana’esh (£8.95), topped with Halloumi Cheese & Zaatar Man’ousha (a dressing with fresh herbs). Call it a Lebanese pizza if you like but she thought it mana’esh from heaven.
By the time we got to the desserts we were undoing buttons on the waist line but we were committed. She enjoyed a Lebanese version of the cream caramel and I went for a small plate of delicious pastries, known as Baklawa, accompanied by a mint and rose water tea.
The restaurant has a menu designed to suit various tastes, including vegan options and child portions. I certainly thought it would be a fun place to take a family as the staff were friendly and helpful and the service swift. And, while you wait, you can be nicely distracted by the colourful shop.
A good three course meal for two, with non-alcoholic drinks (they serve a decent Lebanese wine but we don’t drink at lunch) comes to about £35.00. I thought that very good value as the portions are enormous!
Ratings:
Atmosphere 4/5
Service 5/5
Food 4/5
Value 4/5
Address: 4 New Ark Street, City Centre, Bath BA1 1AT. Check out Comptoir Libanais' website here and find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Article by:
Vicky is involved with the local arts community, teaching performing arts and also writing theatre/circus reviews. She's been living and happily eating her way round Bath for 12 years. And in her words "I mean to go on as I started!"
