Cedar Lebanese Restaurant,
32 Carlisle Road,
Derry
BT48 6JW,
028 7137 3868
BEFORE I forget, this place doesn’t serve alcohol, but you can bring your own.
Okay, so...’tis the season of turkey and ham. It’s something of an industrial process, almost, a production line, with quality control near the bottom of the list: plates loaded with mash, then stuffing, then a slice or two of each meat, gravy, a rock hard roastie on the side, and then out to the impatient diners.
And these diners aren’t the usual crowd, because ‘tis also the season of the staff Christmas do. Restaurants are full of office parties in festive jumpers and headbands with antlers on them, each reveller grimly determined to have a wonderful time, positive that this’ll be the year they don’t end the night shivering at a taxi rank, about to share a cab with someone they know broke the office photocopier but who won’t admit it.
Read more: Christmas dinner elevated to highest levels at Stove Bistro - Eating out
I don’t have a proper job, so I don’t have a staff Christmas do, unless you count sitting in a pub by myself, drinking a pint of Guinness too quickly while pretending I’m clever enough to do the cryptic crossword.
Still, despite the misery that’s so often involved in leaving the house in December, you can’t resist going out, because, maybe, just maybe, this time will be different.
And this time it was. Because I went somewhere which does things a little bit differently, and I went with the two people I always have a good time with: my wife and daughter.
Cedar is a Lebanese restaurant on Carlisle Road, which leads out of town from the Ferryquay Gate. It also leads into town, of course, although traffic heading that way was gridlocked this Friday, full of cars, with drivers all set to seethe, yet remaining, despite all evidence, hell-bent on finding a parking space bang outside their destinations.
The lights of the cars, though, added to the yuletide atmosphere, and Carlisle Road certainly felt festive, with the window display of the jewellers sparkling tastefully, and the merry teenage gentlemen vaping outside the barbers in tinsel scarves and Santa hats.
Inside Cedar, however, the discreet Christmas tree lights on each table were the only acknowledgement of the season. That’s not to say Scrooge was the interior decorator, by any means. While so many other restaurants have embraced minimalism, this place feels rich and ornate, almost opulent, with its maroon drapes and black tablecloths. While mirrors add a sense of space, it’s nevertheless small, although the soft lighting and lush décor give it a feeling of secrecy, clandestine, rather than crammed.
Read more: From turkey to tryptophan, the healthy Christmas foods to add to your table
Our table was crammed, mind, albeit with food. Instead of doing the standard thing, we decided to have lots of starters, with just one main, so we filled the table with small dishes, then just all tucked in together. Cedar lends itself to that approach, and, of course, you get a greater range of food.
It all made for an enticing display. The cauliflower was earthy and sweet, perhaps not as crispy as it might have been, but still delicious. I didn’t take to the zatar manakish, with neither the texture nor the mix of herbs to my taste, but the munjadra was lovely – lentils in a variety of spices, topped with shreds of crispy onion.
My daughter devoured the halloumi salad, with the hot and salty chunks of cheese combining perfectly with the sweet, cooling salad. And I had to battle her for the chicken wings, which were tender and juicy, in a sauce which bided its time to reveal its gentle heat.
Read more: Quaint café serving up the best toasties in Derry
While I thought the lamb in the shawarma was overcooked and a bit tough, the flavour was spot on, and the rice and cabbage it came with were both terrific, perfectly prepared and served.
I think what struck me most of all was the lightness of the flavours. The spices and sauces hit high notes, while I was expecting something more full-on. This meal was full of zingy, citrussy surprises.
While not perfect, this was a lovely experience, and there’s no doubt we’ll be back. Cedar offers something different, a world away from the Christmas madness, but special any time of the year.
The bill
Fattoush - £6.95
Zatar Manakish - £7.95
Halloumi cheese salad - £7.95
Chicken wings - £7.95
Crispy cauliflower - £7.95
Munjadra - £7.95
Lamb Shawarma - £18.95
Spring water - £2.95
Coca-Cola x 2 - £5.90
Total: £74.50
