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 A Phoenician Journey at ilili Heidi Raker Goldstein 
On August 4, 2009, six Alliance members gathered at the two-year-old ilili, New York City’s premier Lebanese restaurant, and enjoyed a four-course feast while NYWCA host and A Fistful of Lentils author Jennifer Felicia Abadi regaled us with fascinating insights about Middle Eastern cuisine and culture.Our Phoenician journey began with cold mezza of hommus, baba ghannouj, tabbouleh, chankleech, tiny grape leaves, mouhamara and fattoush. Hot mezza followed and included brussels sprouts (quartered, roasted, and tossed in a creamy tamarind sauce with green grapes), crispy cheese rolls, fried kibbeh, kibbeh al saaj, mekanek and warm eggplant. Think lemony and minty brightness, tangy tamarind, tomato and pomegranate, and cumin and sumac punch. Main plates included grilled chicken, beef and lamb and delicate Sidon black cod, which sat atop deep brown rice, the tender grains absorbing tahini tajen underneath. Delicious sides were sautéed dandelion in a tangle of caramelized onion and ilili fries (blanched, cooled, and refried, then sprinkled with salt and sumac.) Dessert consisted of Essmalieh Spoons, a shredded filo and custard favorite, and house-made apricot, milk and pistachio ice cream, each with a hint of rosewater or orange blossom. Refreshing jade-colored Green Lemonade combined equal parts simple syrup and fresh cucumber juice with mint and lemon, creating a cooling accompaniment to the tangy, piquant and spicy flavors of our Phoenician Journey.
Many thanks to Jennifer and Philippe Massoud, ilili’s dashing chef/owner, for a delicious, delightful afternoon.
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Photo Credits: Tomatoes- Food Stylist: Delores Custer, Photographer: Dennis Gottlieb; Goat Cheese- Heidi Raker Goldstein |  |
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