El Karim

This unpretentious Lebanese has been feeding hungry diners since 1979. The decor's been updated since then, but the hospitality and value remain unchanged. Groups relax in modest white-walled surrounds, sharing dishes of smoky babaghanoush with pillowy soft flat bread, crunchy onion-sweet pumpkin kibbeh and minced lamb ladies' fingers. Shanklish salads, bright with fresh tomato and crumbly za'atar-dusted cheese, are delivered swiftly; oven baked pomegranate lamb with saffron-perfumed rice arrives more slowly. It's easy to see why El Karim has gone the distance.