The first thing I remembered with Ilili was it's impressive decors. I really liked the lighting and the interiors, very sophisticated and elegant. My aunt and I came in on a weekday, looking for lunch. And amidst workers and its other diners wearing suits and ties, I was reminded that I'm on a holiday. How lucky was I to be in a bustling and energetic city filled with awesome places to eat.
Ilili for me is a special place because it was the first time I had a dip sandwich. They had it on the menu that day and I immediately grabbed on to try it. I know it was not very Lebanese but being in the US, it was a sandwich that I had to try.
My aunt and I had the lunch prix fixe (that is a set lunch of an entree and main for USD 25). My aunt had the lentil soup and I chose the fattoush salad. I thought that both dishes were very salty for some reason but if you eat out, you let others control your salt for you.
The lamb dip was another story. The bread for this was a bit different from the other sandwiches that I had. It was like a mix of brioche and baguette. Layer on tender layer of lamb was sandwiched between them. You take this and dip it into the both on the right side and take a huge bite! You will not look very lady like as you munch into this but at this point, I don't really care much at all.
On the right side is the Ashta which is a traditional Lebanese clotted cream with rose water syrup. This one was very nice, unique and refreshing. It's the perfect summer dessert.
On the left side is the Knafe Bil Jibneh which is a fried sweet cheese with orange blossom syrup. I thought this one was quite unique as well but very sweet as usual. You will have to love your sugar to love this one but still, it's a nice dessert.
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