Lebanese Restaurants

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Restaurants reviewed on this page:

* Three Ways

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15th April 2006 - Three Ways

4a Brigg street (above Going Places on Gentleman's Walk) Norwich NR2 1QN
Tel: 01603 622814

Smoking: No.

Parking: No. Nearest parking Chapelfield or Castle Mall

Expect to pay: £20 (approx) a head for two courses with drinks and £25 (approx) a head for three courses with drinks

I can't remember who from but I'd heard really good things about this place. As we had a friend we met in Australia coming up, I decided that we'd 'guinea pig' this place. We were also joined by two other good friends - Kammy and Steve - who were also looking forward to it. I really wish we hadn't bothered and that we'd gone somewhere that we knew we'd get a good meal. I kind of feel, as a small-scale restaurant 'critic', that it is almost a duty to try different places all the time to fill this site and give you, the reader, a really wide view of what is on offer in Norwich. However, I am beginning to feel that I may stick to what I know the next few times I go out.
When we arrived, I have to say it didn't feel like a restaurant. It felt like a room above a travel agents - it might have been an office at some point in its life I expect. It felt very cramped and that there were too many tables and chairs in there. I didn't like the furniture or the decor and it didn't make me feel comfortable. I did like the atmosphere however with the Lebanese music in the background and the bustle of converstaion and people enjoying themselves.
The service is where my friends and I differed in opinion the most. Our waitress (and manageress/owner) took our order with her very tiny baby draped over her shoulder. It was a bit weird but I thought this added to the family feel of the place and found it rather amusing. However, the others found this really off-putting and a bit out of place for a restaurant. She, and her son, were also very slow in clearing our plates and bringing the bill when we asked for it.
The food was OK in my opinion. The others swayed in opinion between awful and good. The wine was the saving grace. I'd never tried Lebanese wine before but after careful (and quite forceful) persuasion by the manageress, we decided to give it a go. It was really rather good and saved what could have been a really disappointing evening. However, I very much doubt we'll be back in the near future.

I had: For starter we shared a Mezze platter. It really got the tastebuds going and I really enjoyed this. Baskets of freshly cooked flatbread with numerous homemade dips, salads and pastries. A wonderful appetiser and I really enjoyed it. In fact I could've sat and ate this all evening.
For main course I had the mixed grill of Shish Tawouk (marinated chicken kebabs), Lahma Mishwira (chargrilled lamb kebabs), a lamb cutlet and a chicken wing with rice and salad. Again, this was OK. The meat was a bit overcooked for my liking but it was tasty and I enjoyed the chargrilled flavour. Myself, Steve and Matt managed to clear our plates.
However, Catherine hated her cous cous with lamb. The lamb was really unappealing - fatty and 'scraggy' cuts of meat and her cous cous was really sloppy. She hardly ate any of it and was a bit upset about coming out for a meal like this. Kammy's monkfish kebabs obviously weren't fresh (they tasted really fishy) and had also been very overcooked.

Rating:

Food *** Service ** Atmosphere *** Menu *** Wine/Drinks ***

OVERALL = **1/2