At Mezza House, Sara Waddah found herself agreeing with the saying that “There is no sincerer love than the love of food!”

Tucked away on the first floor of Atrium Mall, we headed over to Janabiyah to visit Mezza House Bahrain. Looking up from the outside, you’re not really able to judge, but once you arrive inside, you’ll realise this establishment is far larger than you expected.

Fit for all the different types of outings you may find yourself a part of, Mezza House Bahrain consists of a large outdoor area, a special family area, and a separate indoor smoking area – making it perfect for catch-ups with friends, family lunches, or even those solo trips when you want to unwind.

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It is well-lit during the day, thanks to the large windows that surround the entire venue, and the blue and white décor goes in line with the brand’s identity. We made ourselves comfortable on the lush seats and were handed iPads to flick through the digital menu to see what we had in store for the afternoon.

With a broad menu that contains a ton of variety and options, Mezza House Bahrain serves up a delectable array of Arabic, Lebanese and international dishes that exhibit simple, fresh and homemade techniques at their best.

Radiating Middle Eastern culture around the venue, the staff were not only the sweetest but also extremely accommodating to all our requests and questions. Making sure that our experience was wholesome from the start to the end. So lovely.

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Starting us off with a Mixed Mezza Platter that gave us the best of both worlds, out came six different sample-sized portions of some of their best hot and cold mezze. Consisting of all our favourites, hummus, tabouleh, fattoush, falafel and kibbeh, the assortment of finger food was freshly prepared, perfectly seasoned and just the right amount for our starting dishes.

Trying something a little different, we were beyond curious about getting our hands on their best-selling Nacho Salad. Trust that all our curiosities were put to rest when it arrived though! Who knew that a combination of fresh parsley, nacho chips and ranch dressing could automatically become one of our favourite salads? Thoroughly impressed by the dish, it was easy to note that the key takeaways we agreed on were that the simplicity, as well as the freshness of the ingredients, played major roles in making it what it was.

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Switching it up with a definite shocker to our taste palates, we delved into the Knock Out Shrimp starter, which definitely shook us to our core. Seasoned to precision, then deep-fried before being coated with a generous amount of spicy mayo, this dish was completely different to all the others we’ve had so far, reinforcing the versatility of the restaurant, as well as their capability to bring out different cuisines and tastes.

Making sure we saved some space for the main courses, out came one of our favourite Lebanese delicacies, the Ouzi Lamb. Consisting of baked lamb and rice that was prepared with a blend of different spices, the well-marinated and prepared dish hit the nail on the head. From the tenderness of the meat to the aromas of all the spices, the Ouzi Lamb made my heart feel warm and nostalgic. As waves of reminiscence crashed over me, not only was I beyond satisfied by but I felt a smile creep over my face as I enjoyed what felt like a good, wholesome, homemade meal.

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Adding Lamb Chops to the mix, our dining table began to look like the best place for a carnivore (more lamb the merrier, right?). Served with a side of green salad and brought out aesthetically, you could immediately recognise the thoughtful plating that went into the creation of this dish! Grilled to a perfect medium-well, the chops were flavourful, juicy and tender from the first bite. Delicious! Excusing ourselves from the dining area and heading over to the smoking area to unwind (and digest) from our magnificent afternoon lunch, Mezza House Bahrain also had a separate menu for the various hubbly bubbly on offer, alongside some pretty cool chill-out corners with their private televisions for your use during the downtime.

Walking out feeling beyond satisfied, and our heads on just right, this was an afternoon that we could definitely see ourselves doing again sometime soon. ✤

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT @MEZZAHOUSE_BH ON INSTAGRAM.