I get it, you are visiting Italy’s capital and all you want is Roman dishes and Italian cuisine. However, what’s vibrant in the city’s culinary scene is a greatly diverse offer. Mandaloun Lebanese restaurant in Rome is one of my picks usually when I want some foreign flavours.
My experience at Mandaloun Lebanese restaurant in Rome – What we ordered
I went to this restaurant twice in less than two weeks, and obviously not because of a lack of eateries in Rome. I like Lebanese food, but I also like other types of food, so what brought me here for the second time in a row instead of choosing another place? Apart from the chilled out atmosphere and my half-Lebanese friend who introduced it to me, I felt the urge to come back for their incredible baba ganoush.
Do you know hummus? I mean the classic version chickpea-based? Well, this one is an eggplant-based hummus. A delicious one. It has a sour taste given by the fact that eggplants are grilled before being mashed and further seasoned with a sprinkle of sumac, always a good fit.
READ MORE: Check out our guide to what to do in Rome in 4 days.
The menu offers a great selection of Lebanese dishes, but since both my friend and I are following a vegetarian diet, we ordered the Vegetarian Mezzeh. This was a mix of all the vegetarian starters as well as a sample of dishes on the menu.
We tried veggie couscous, hummus and baba ganoush, tabbouleh, the typical Lebanese salad with plenty of parsley, falafel, namely fried chickpea balls, Warak-Enad Dolma, grapevine leaves stuffed with rice, tomato and parsley and cooked in olive oil, Moussaka’a Bil-Zeit, eggplant baked with tomato, bell pepper and chickpeas, and Kabis, assorted olives and Lebanese pickles.
Everything was absolutely delicious, but we still felt like adding to our scrumptious dinner some delicious Lebanese pita grilled with Halloumi cheese.
Our meal was completed with Aysha al Saraya dessert, This is a milk-based cake flavoured with sugar, rosewater, orange blossom water and lemon juice. The cream is then placed on a softened toast and garnished with grated pistachio. We closed off the dinner with a pot of hot orange blossom tea.
All together cost us around 27 euro each.
Menu and prices at Mandaloun Lebanese restaurant
Obviously, being a Lebanese, Middle Eastern restaurant, you have a much bigger choice if you eat meat.
Some of the other dishes you will find here are Hummus Awarma, a chickpea dip with tahini and lemon covered with meat and toasted pine nuts, Sambussek, dumplings stuffed with meat and pine nuts, or Sawdat Djaj, chicken liver stir-fried with garlic and lemon, among the starters.
Some of the main courses are Kharouf Mehcie, roasted lamb leg served with rice and covered with almonds and toasted pine nuts, Lahm Meshwe, grilled lamb skewers served with rice and tahini, Shawarma, which is mainly a marinated beef kebab roasted and served with tahini and Lebanese salad, or sea bass filet served on a bed of rice, caramelised onion and tahini if you prefer fish.
READ MORE: You don’t fancy Lebanese food? Check out our guide to the best restaurants in Rome!
Address and how to reach Mandaloun restaurant in Rome
- Address: Via di Porta Pinciana 16/B.
- Phone number: +39 06 6482 4507.
- Opening hours: Daily 12 pm-12 am, Mondays from 5 pm.
- How to reach Mandaloun: Barberini metro and then less than 10 minutes walk up Via Veneto; buses 52, 53, 61, 160.
What to see and do around Mandaloun Lebanese restaurant
Located in the very city centre, whether you go to Mandaloun for lunch or dinner, you will find plenty of things to do. First of all, Piazza Barberini is very close, just down Via Veneto. From here, you can reach plenty of shops in Via del Tritone if you are in a shopping mood.
If, on the other hand, you want to go on sightseeing, right close to Barberini metro station is the Capuchin Crypt, displaying the bones of the Dominican monks who died there as well as civilians. The Capuchin Crypt is often included in some of the underground tours of Rome. I always like to explore the underground side of the city, so I always suggest booking at least one of them.
Barberini is also some 15 minutes walk from the Trevi Fountain, so in the heart of the main Rome attractions.
Mandaloun is really in a great position. Via Veneto, Barberini and the surrounding streets make also for a lovely night walk if you decide to go for dinner after a day of sightseeing.
Some of the nearby places:
- Piazza Barberini
- Capuchin Crypt and Museum
- Via del Tritone
- Trevi Fountain
- Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps)
- Via del Corso
- Villa Borghese
- Piazza della Repubblica
- Via Nazionale
Ça a l’air drôlement délicieux!Et quelle vue!
On s’est RÉ-GA-LÉES!
Sempre più convinto che Roma è unica nelle sue offerte! Certo che il posto dove si trova il ristorante è bene scelto!
Il posto è bellissimo e il ristorante ottimo!
An eggplant-based hummus sounds delish! Didn’t know it could be made this way – the photos are making my stomach growl and it’s a disappointing fact that there’s nothing nearly this good in my kitchen. *pout*
I think the eggplant hummous is not difficult to make, although you need to grill the eggplants first, so probably a bit long. But SO worth it ;)
I haven’t visited rome, and neither I got a chance to taste the Rome cuisine. I would love to give my tongue and tummy a chance to taste Eggplant Hummous.
And you would love it, guaranteed ;)
A good post. I am so starving after reading it :) Love Rome. A big fan of Chianti wine. A nice night shot of Piazza Barberini.
Truth is, in Rome it’s not difficult to find nice restaurants ;)