The Mediterraneans have one of the highest life expectancy in the world, due to a healthy diet, based on the consumption of olive oil, lemon, chicken and many low- calorie fruits and vegetables, but high nutritive values. “This is a therapy cuisine, because: the olive oil does not contain bad cholesterol, the parsley used in salads and all the green vegetables contain a lot of iron that cures anemia.” Mohammed Ali, the owner of Tripoli Restaurant (www.tripoli.ro ) in the Capital, told Bucharest Herald. The restaurant attracts customers of all nationalities, but is ideal for vegetarians and for those on diet or fastening, as the menu contains many dishes based on vegetables and cereals.
BH: For how long has the restaurant been open and how did you choose the Lebanese cuisine?
Mohammed Ali: The restaurant has been open for 2 years, since 2007 and I chose this cuisine because I like Lebanese food very much. I own the building where the restaurant is located and it was rented to a café for a while and then I thought about opening this restaurant.
BH: Is this the only Lebanese restaurant you have in Romania?
Mohammed Ali: Yes, at the moment this is the only one, but I also own a Lebanese pastry and ice- cream laboratory and a three star hotel in Bucharest, under the same brand, Tripoli.
BH: How much did you invest in the opening?
Mohammed Ali: I poured around 200,000 Euro initially, but there were also some other investments I made afterwards. We are planning to expand from autumn with another salon at the upper floor and a terrace which we will cover in winter. This will be a salon for those who want to smoke narghile, because we had many customers who wanted to smoke narghile here.
BH: What type of customers eat at Tripoli Restaurant?
Mohammed Ali: We have Romanian and Lebanese customers and customers of other nationalities equally. People who come here generally want to eat healthy and tasty food at the same time, because the Lebanese cuisine includes very light and healthy dishes, with many vegetables, lemon juice, olive oil and natural spices. This is a therapy cuisine, because: the olive oil does not contain bad cholesterol, the parsley used especially in the Tabbouleh salad and all the green vegetables contain a lot of iron, which cures anemia. The sauces are very light, based on lemon and pomegranate juice, without other additives and sugar which could harm the diabetics. The chickpea, used to prepare hommous, the nuts and the sesame oil contain proteins. There are also dishes with meat, cheese and yoghurt, but most of the dishes are based on vegetables, this is why this cuisine is recommended to the vegetarians and to those fastening. We also have a special oven, in which we cook the Lebanese bread with sesame and a type of yeast with a special fragrance, called mahlab.
BH: What nationality and what experience does the chef have?
Mohammed Ali: The chef is Lebanese, he worked in the USA over 10 years and in well- known restaurants all over the world. The receipts are original, but the chef is also preparing various new mixtures, to which the customers are very perceptive. Most of the ingredients such as the olive oil and the pine buds, which are very expensive, are brought from Lebanon and are very high quality products. We will bring soon Lebanese wines as well, because at the moment we only serve international wines.
BH: What were the effects of the financial crisis on Tripoli?
Mohammed Ali: The effects of the crisis were not so strong on Tripoli. We registered a low customer reduction, around 15 per cent.
Mancarea libaneza, ideala pentru vegetarieni si cei care tin dieta
Mediteraneenii au una dintre cele mai mari sperante de viata din lume, datorita unei diete sanatoase, bazata pe consumul de ulei de masline, lamaie, carne de pui si multe legume si fructe, cu aport caloric scazut, dar valori nutritive ridicate. “Este o bucatarie cu valente terapeutice, pentru ca : uleiul de masline nu contine colesterol rau, patrunjelul folosit la salate si toate legumele verzi contin mult fier, care combate anemia.” a declarat pentru Bucharest Herald, domnul Mohammed Ali, proprietarul restaurantului Tripoli (www.tripoli.ro )din Capitala. Restaurantul atrage clienti de toate nationalitatile, dar ii favorizeaza in special pe vegetarieni si pe cei care tin post sau dieta, pentru ca meniul contine foarte multe feluri pe baza de legume si cereale.
BH: De cata vreme este deschis restaurantul si cum a fost ales specificul libanez?
Mohammed Ali: Restaurantul este deschis de 2 ani, din 2007 si am ales acest specific pentru ca imi place foarte mult mancarea libaneza. Cladirea in care se afla restaurantul este a mea si a fost inchiriata o perioada unei cafenele, iar dupa o perioada m-am gandit sa deschid acest restaurant.
BH: Este singurul restaurant libanez pe care il aveti in Romania?
Mohammed Ali: Da, in prezent este sigurul, insa detin si un laborator de patiserie si inghetata libaneza si un hotel de trei stele, cu acelasi nume, Tripoli.
BH: Ce investitie a presupus deschiderea restaurantului?
Mohammed Ali: Initial am investit aproximativ 200.000 Euro, insa au fost si alte investitii pe care le-am facut ulterior. Din toamna vrem sa ne extindem cu inca un salon la etajul superior si o terasa pe care o vom acoperi iarna. Va fi un salon destinat in special fumatorilor de narghilea pentru ca am avut foarte multi clienti care ne-au solicita narghilea.
BH: Ce fel de clienti mananca la restaurantul Tripoli?
Mohammed Ali: Avem clienti romani, libanezi si de alte nationalitati, in egala masura. In general vin aici oamenii care vor sa manance foarte sanatos si gustos in acelasi timp, pentru ca bucataria libaneza cuprinde feluri de mancare foarte usoare si sanatoase, cu multe legume, zeama de lamaie, ulei de masline, condimente naturale. Este o bucatarie cu valente terapeutice, pentru ca : uleiul de masline nu contine colesterol rau, patrunjelul folosit mai ales la salata Tabbouleh si toate legumele verzi contin mult fier, care combate anemia. Sosurile sunt foarte usoare, pe baza de lamaie si sos de rodii, fara alti aditivi si glucide, care le-ar putea face rau diabeticilor. Nautul folosit la prepararea humusului, nuca si sosul de susan contin proteine. Exista si feluri de mancare cu carne, branzeturi si iaurt, insa majoritatea felurilor sunt pe baza de legume, de aceea este o bucatarie recomandata in special vegetarienilor si celor care tin post. Avem si un cuptor special, in care pregatim lipiile cu susan si folosind o drojdie speciala, foarte aromata, mahlab.
BH: Ce nationalitate si ce experienta are bucatarul ?
Mohammed Ali: Bucatarul este libanez, are o experienta de peste 10 ani in SUA si a lucrat la restaurante libaneze de renume din lume. Retetele sunt originale, dar bucatarul pregateste si diverse combinatii noi, la care clientii sunt foarte receptivi. Majoritatea ingredientelor, precum uleiul de masline si mugurii de pin, care sunt foarte scumpi, sunt aduse din Liban si sunt de foarte buna calitate. Vom aduce in curand si vinuri libaneze, pentru ca in prezent avem doar vinuri internationale.
BH: Cat de mult v-a afectat criza financiara?
Mohammed Ali: Efectele crizei nu au fost atat de puternice asupra restaurantului Tripoli. Am avut o scadere nesemnificativa a numarului de clienti, aproximativ 15 la suta.
