Syrian eating experience part I - Haretna restaurant in the Christian Quarter, Damascus

After getting off the bus at Bab Touma, Misao takes me to her favorite restaurant, Haretna, located in the middle of the Christian Quarter (the northeastern part of the Old City).

It's past 10 pm when we arrive. But the restaurant is just beginning to get crowded. No, this is Syria. I should say, "Therefore" instead of "But". Syrians have dinner after 10 pm until well past midnight - even kids stay awake. It's kind of a mystery what they do after finishing working until dinner.

I try three of the so-called mezze (starters). The first one is famous: hummus (made of chickpea and tahini).

The second is tabbouleh (a salad of bulgar wheat, parsley and tomato, with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, lemon and garlic).

I had these two in Lebanese restaurants in London. I didn't like them at that time. Now they are superb. I just realize that those Lebanese restaurants are not an exception in London's eating industry - they lower the standard of foods they serve in order to cater to Britons.

But the most impressive is baba ghanoug (an eggplant salad with diced tomato, onion, parsley, garlic and lemon). Like hummus, it's eaten with Arabic bread used as a scoop.

I didn't expect much about foods in Syria, based on my experience of Lebanese cuisine in London (Lebanese and Syrian are similar). But the first dinner in Syria is just the beginning of unanticipated pleasure...

By the way, Haretna restaurant is not mentioned in the Lonely Planet guidebook. Here's how to get there. From Bab Touma, walk down to the south along Sharia Bab Touma - a "high street" in the Christian Quarter. Turn left at the first corner. A short walk takes you to a signpost with a pale green arrow indicating that you need to turn right here. Then turn left at the next signpost. Haretna is on your right.