Liz O’Reilly enjoyed some seriously good food with a side of education on a visit to Palestine Nights.

Walking to Palestine Nights restaurant on Saada Waterfront, part of Bahrain Pearling Path, feels a bit like going on holiday. The bright, sunny seafront promenade, where the restaurant sits, is crowded with vibrant market stalls selling beautiful, colourful abayas and other traditional crafts, while behind them, boats, including a traditional wooden dhow, bob on the azure waters.

Arriving at the restaurant, you’ll find a small downstairs seating area, complete with fountain, before heading upstairs into the expansive dining room where signs of the founders’ Palestinian homeland and heritage are tastefully displayed everywhere you look.

The floor is composed of traditional patterned tiles alongside limestone slabs, the same as those found on the streets of Jerusalem. Plush plum velvet seating bears printed cushions designed to resemble the traditional embroidery patterns created by founder Mariam Shanaa – whose original, intricate needlework is mounted on the walls – and the wooden frames of the glass-topped tables bear the Arabic engraving ‘We are the people who don’t forget the smell of their land’ – referring to how Palestinians, even now, remember the smell of their land despite generations in exile.

Proudly displayed on one wall is the beautifully embroidered traditional thoub of Amal Abdulqader Shanaa – mother of co-founder Wafaa (Mariam’s mother-in-law) – along with the written story of her journey. Made a refugee during the occupation of Palestine in 1948, she moved to South Lebanon and perfected the art of Palestinian cooking and spice mixing, a skill she passed down to her daughters.

These days, that skill is still much in evidence at Palestine Nights with the secret spice mixes created by Amal, and later Wafaa and Mariam, forming the basis for the restaurant’s impressive menu. The recipes are passed down through the generations and Mariam even told us: “Each time you eat at Palestine Nights, it’s as if you are eating in our home.”

With all this history around me, I was eager to sample the menu and, I can say wholeheartedly, it did not disappoint.

First to the table was a selection of cold mezze. Beautifully presented in small earthenware bowls on a long wooden tray supported by ingenious cartwheel type contraptions that allowed us to move the dishes to our reach.

Accompanied by fresh, pillowy bread, we happily tucked into stuffed vine leaves, baba ghanoush, moutabel, beetroot and regular hummus and my favourites: the bright, tangy muhammara – spicy and nutty, its roasted red peppers forming a perfect union with smoky walnuts and pomegranate molasses for a flavour that lingered on the tongue – and makdoos, a new experience for me, baby aubergines stuffed with sweet and spicy red peppers preserved in high-quality olive oil and loaded with spices and a hint of chilli. This became a fast new favourite both for its rich texture and gentle heat that truly made my taste buds dance.

Then came hot appetisers and I was delighted to see a couple of things that were, again, new to my palate – I love discovering fresh dishes, specially when it’s so clear how much thought and tradition has gone into the recipes.

I particularly enjoyed the Musakhan roll – baked rolled flatbread filled with tender sumac-seasoned chicken, caramelised onions and pine nuts. Lightly topped with creamy yoghurt, it was like a hug in my mouth, deeply flavourful and satisfying, the crunchy bread giving way to the beautifully aromatic filling.

Shakhtoorah pastries were another favourite. Small boat-shaped pastries, their open ‘decks’ revealing a delicious filling of well-seasoned and tender meat – I really would love to know the secrets of Mariam and Wafaa’s spice blends, as pretty much every dish we tasted had subtle differences, each tantalising the taste buds to identify the mystery mixes.

And, of course, I must mention the Middle Eastern staple, the kubba. We were served these crispy, deep-fried bulgur dumplings with fillings of both chicken and meat. Crunchy on the outside and beautifully rendered within, they were some of the best I’ve tried on the island.

A palate cleanser came in the shape of a fabulous Fattoush – very generous with the crispy fried Arabic bread, which is always my favourite part, and topped with loads of pomegranate arils, which I also love. I could quite easily have eaten this whole refreshing bowlful myself and left happy.

But, after a brief sojourn on the gorgeous outside balcony terrace to take in the sea view, it was time for the mains.

Beautifully presented, the Quzi Malaki arrived in a long, boat-shaped dish, the tender lamb leg, cooked in Palestinian herbs and spices, resting on a bed of rice topped with nuts. The slow-cooked meat literally fell apart at the touch of a fork and the lamb was sweet and juicy, perfectly complemented by a light red pepper sauce or, my personal choice, a green sauce of chilli, garlic and lemon.

Kufta with tahina put me in mind of a traditional English shepherd’s pie – minced meat layered with potatoes and herbs – but this time cooked in tahina sauce. The combination of textures and flavours along with the connection to home, made this a definite winner.

We also tried Msakhan chicken – a recipe with a story. Traditionally served during the freekeh harvest, it’s a dish that is very important for farmers and, though the chicken is indeed delicious, the taboon bread is the real star of the show. Made in a special oven, it’s soaked in olive oil – so much so that it should run down onto your hands when you eat it (I took advantage of the proffered gloves) – and then covered in caramelised onions with spices, sumac and pine nuts. Delicious!

Mansaf with lamb came theatrically covered in a wafer-thin flatbread, which our server made a dramatic show of removing to reveal the goodness beneath. Fat, fluffy grains of yellow rice enveloped almost impossibly tender lamb baked in tangy jameed sauce made from fermented goats’ yoghurt and fresh yoghurt. A delicate blend of herbs fully enhancing the lightly earthy flavour, this was a dish perfectly made for sharing.

Though fully replete, we could not resist the temptation of dessert and my dining companions were blown away by the Mallabiya Mistika, a childhood favourite of creamy milk pudding topped with caramel and candy floss. But, for me, the star of the show was the kunafa – melting, stringy cheese, cream, pistachios and crunchy layers of kataifi dough – who could ask for more?

Throughout our meal, I sipped on hot tea and afterwards my companions waxed lyrical about tiny cups of coffee, the beans for which are imported from Ramallah. And we also tried a selection of delicious mocktails but, sadly, I’ve run out of space to tell you anything more than to try Palestine Nights for yourself… I promise you’ll thank me. ✤

GO: CALL 3777 4768 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION.