In biblical times, the Cedars of Lebanon were considered great luxuries and extreme rarities, since there was not exactly an abundance of strong, fragrant trees with high-quality wood growing in the rocky, sandy soil of the Mideast. They were national treasures and anything made of cedar then, as now, was something of a status symbol.
You could almost say the same thing about the Cedars of Lebanon restaurant, serving Middle-Eastern cuisine in downtown Salt Lake. As one of the finest ethnic restaurants in Utah, it's a statewide treasure, but one of its best features is that you don't have to have Solomon's fortunes to enjoy it.I'm talking specifically about the remarkable buffet lunch, served weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. At a mere $5.89, it is one of the best lunch deals in town, and certainly the most savory.
While it is an all-you-can-eat buffet, it is not your basic spaghetti, fried chicken, potato salad, rolls and pudding fare. The cooks at Cedars of Lebanon are far more discerning, always offering a varying selection of five or six main dishes, a soup, rice and, in a partial concession to American tastes, a salad bar.
And what wonderful main dishes they serve! The last time I was there, I could sample fettucini tossed with olive oil, garlic, parsley, tomatoes, generous amounts of feta cheese and huge Mediterranean black olives.
For vegetarians and anyone else who likes to eat their vegetables, there was a special type of mousaka, made of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, onions and other vegetables, oh, so delicately spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Also a hearty soup made of lentils, rice and onions, steamed carrots and onions, and all the flavored rice you can eat.
The building itself is old but not dowdy, giving a foreign impression without being campy or affected. Elaborate rugs deck the plaster walls, and ornate Middle-Eastern lamps hang from the ceiling. In the back, there is an intimate Moroccan Room, which you can reserve for dinner. And you can wrap yourself in Mediterranean luxury with richly upholstered cushions, lavish woven rugs everywhere, low tables and trays, brass and rare delicacies prepared just for you and your party.
Friday and Saturday nights you can enjoy belly dancing and live music while you dine on both Lebanese and Moroccan specialties, including marinated lamb, pork and beef kabobs, chawarma, taboule, humus and baba ghannouje appetizers, even baklava, rice pudding and kateyef (a sort of baklava with cheese) for dessert. Most entrees are very reasonably priced from about $9.75 for Tagine chicken to $15.95 for lamb chops served with rice and vegetables.
Cedars of Lebanon provides a one-of-a-kind dining experience that any city, anywhere in the world, could be proud of. When out-of-towners venture in and sniff that Salt Lake has no good ethnic, this classic restaurant can convince them that we can indeed boast of exotic treasures.
Rating: * * * 1/2
The Cedars of Lebanon, 152 E. 200 South, 364-4096. Open Monday through Saturday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on weekdays for dinner from 5-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays dinner is served until 11 p.m. Cash, checks, credit cards and reservations are all accepted.