1. An Appetizer
Hummus with shawarma
This was pretty easy since this is my go to order in any Levantine restaurant, give me some extra olive oil, sumac and red chilli powder, some pine nuts and we're good to go.
2. A Side
Persian lentil soup (from a regional restaurant called Shabestan)
Shabestan is the oldest restaurant in my home city, it's known that if you go there, you order the lentil soup, no questions, and for good reason, it's lighter then the Indian version that we usually have so it leaves plenty of room for the main course
3. An Entree
Machbuus (chicken)
This took zero thought, this is the one thing that pretty much every single person living near the Persian Gulf could eat every single day, it's the greatest way to cook a chicken, or any other meat actually, nothing even comes close.
Please throw some toasted raisins and chickpeas, extra toasty, if you will.
4. A Dessert
Turkish Kunafa (soft)
I had some of this in a tiny shop in Istanbul and I honestly cannot eat the kunafa in my home city anymore, it was so ridiculous, they drowned it in hot syrup and served it in a tiny metal bowl so the cheese was still extra-melty when they served it, I'd go back to Istanbul just to eat it again.
5. A Beverage
Water (H2O)
Yeah, nothing fancy, but after that meal nothing is more refreshing then a cold glass of water, just water, no extras or whatever.
