Seven years ago, I had the great chance to discover a restaurant in the South of France where Food had a different meaning than being a nutritious substance to maintain life but a mesmerizing experience that left me with a constant strong desire to go back there every time I would crave for an authentic and flavorful French cuisine…

As time passed by, I was lucky enough to fall on this same restaurant in Dubai and finally in Beirut to experience other glorious food experiences…

La Petite Maison is about a delightfully charming atmosphere with exceptional cocktails, wine selection and delectable appetizers and main courses to be shared all along with divine deserts. The most fascinating thing at this restaurant is the prime quality of the ingredients used in each and every dish and their alluring freshness; two characteristics of paramount importance in my dictionary of authentic and natural foods! In addition to that, La Petite Maison’s cuisine relies greatly on fresh, seasonal produce; herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables and non processed foods…

You will always find on your table three tomatoes and a lemon; these are not decorative items. They are supposed to be sliced, seasoned with salt, pepper, a hint of olive oil and lemon juice and shared before the food is ordered!

Also, another delicious and fresh vodka tomato based cocktail that will literary leave you with a positively astonished facial expression after the first sip must be tried! It is called Tomatinii and is my favorite vodka cocktail so far as it is made with freshly crushed cherry tomatoes that are rich in lycopene which is an antioxidant and are a great source of many vitamins and minerals including vitamin A and C. The safe recommended daily alcoholic intakes are 1 glass for women and 2 glasses for men.

Being a Dietitian and a foodie might sound controversial to many but have always entailed me to enjoy life in all its forms.The first rule to eating right when eating out is to apply the concept of sharing food as I always recommend it: ‘Always share food, never eat alone’.Secondly,always begin your meal with salads and vegetables as they provide enough fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fills up the stomach, leaving a little space for the main course. The ideal portioning of the plate should always be: 50% salad, 25% Carbohydrates and 25% Proteins.

I started my lunch with a very unique Caesar salad prepared by Raphael Duntoye, the Chef Patron of La Petite Maison that happened to be in Lebanon this week.Then I shared the famous green beans salad with foie gras and a couple of seafood appetizers.

Scrumptious Tuna Carpaccio

Mouthwatering scallops carpaccio with almonds, cranberries, capers and ciboulette

Highly pleasant to the taste simple warm prawns with olive oil and fresh basil

Monkfish with a citrus seasoning and vegetables

Seafood is typically low in saturated fat and fat which will help you reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases when consumed regularly (at least three times per week).And may also reduce the risk of developing some types of cancer.It is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which have been connected to possible treatments of a range of conditions: heart disease, dementia, depression, Attention Deficit Disorder, Diabetes,etc. Not to forget that increasing your daily omega-3 intake will simply make you smarter!

“Use Do Not Abuse, Neither Abstinence Nor Excess Ever Renders Man Happy.”

 

I couldn’t but enjoy three tablespoons of my favorite pasta dish: porcini rigatoni.Perfectly seasoned and just heavenly!

And finally, I had left some room for deserts and based my choice on fruit based ones and happily shared a raspberry panna cotta and a passion fruit posset with mango and earl grey crystals! Whatever I say about those deserts won’t be enough to describe how good they tasted!

“Un sourire coûte moins cher que l’électricité mais donne autant de lumière.”

 

As I always leave this restaurant happy and contented, this time was different as I left with a large smile on my face especially after a long discussion with the Chef Patron Raphael Duntoye about food and his vibrant passion for cooking. It was simply impressive to sit and talk to a Chef that’s extremely passionate about food and that’s literary full of positive vibes, always smiling … Not to forget to mention the whole happy team behind the success of this restaurant that’s very friendly and welcoming.It simply helps you understand the reflection of this positive ora in the dishes you consume and the way they always make you feel…

Dietitian Nicole Maftoum