Lebanese food in Niterói

We have the most wonderful Middle Eastern restaurant hiding under a bushel in Centro Niterói.  Lima Restaurante on the first block of Rua da Conceção.  Unfortunately they do not have a website.

My grandmother was born in Lebanon.  My mother learned to cook particular dishes at her mother’s side, when vovó would let her clutter the kitchen.  The meals of high holidays or birthdays or big celebrations in our house often included the food from Lebanon.

Finding an authentic Lebanese restaurant in Niterói is like finding gold.  There is a very large Lebanese population in Brazil, some put the number at 6 million people.  But given that, finding good food in our area beyond take-out has been a challenge.

This place rocks: stuffed grape leaves, stuffed zucchini, stuffed eggplant, stuffed cabbage, cooked kibe (kibbeh) raw kibe, esfiha, kebabs, real tabouli salad, babaganoush like it’s supposed to be, hummas with rich flavor, cheese and olives… OMG.  And it’s a comida à kilo restaurant!!

Well, only on Wednesdays do they put out Middle Eastern foods.  But that makes it the singular day we go to that place for lunch.  Fantastic.  I always work the buffet.

It tastes like home.  Really.