The first time I saw Chef Ashish Singh was as a contestant in Masterchef India. During the initial episodes, he seemed to be a weak contestant with low self confidence. However, as the show progressed, Ashish completely transformed into a strong contender and dished out some really good recipes.
Ashish comes from a modest background and ran a small take away kiosk in Ambala. He recounts that the first day when he opened the outlet, his total sale was just Rs. 200 and obviously he was a worried man. However, the success and name that he got during his Masterchef India stint changed his life. Today, there is a queue in front of his small Lebanese outlet in Ambala and Ashish proudly claims that, at times, it is more than the one at the nearby McDonald’s.
I visit his newly opened outlet – Lub Lub Lebanese in Baani Square, Gurgaon. The small 20-seater outlet is done in shades of cream and yellow with an open kitchen. The energy level in the kitchen is infectious. The menu is very selective with some shawarmas, salads, sides and non alcoholic drinks. There are no desserts.
We start with the drinks. I like the Fresh Mint Watermelon. The drink is made with freshly squeezed watermelon juice and fresh mint. I request for no additional sweetener and the restaurant obliged. Lub Lub Lebanese has a drink called TWISAD. Unable to comprehend the drink, we asked the meaning of this drink. Ashish says that there was a popular expression used by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor in the show – “That’s what I call a dish!” Borrowing from that, he named the drink – That’s What I Say A Drink (TWISAD). I would any day prefer something which is made fresh instead of this one which is made with apricot & peach syrups. Having said that, I like the balance of refreshing flavours with ginger, lemon and mint.
I enjoy the Shawarma…chicken scoring more points than lamb while both are good. The lamb shawarma is a tad dry but goes well with the extra hummus on the side. Even the falafels are great. They have intelligently made the falafel in cylindrical shape to put them in a roll, and they are round, as usual, to be served in the plate.
Fattoush is a Lebanese summer salad with large cuts of vegetables. The portion is good enough for one person and can be easily shared by two. The veggies are fresh and the pita bread is freshly baked. Traditionally, stale pita bread is put in this salad to use the leftover.
My favourite at Lub Lub Lebanese is the Ras Asfour combo. Ras Asfour typically stands for small fried meat cubes (chicken in this case). It is served with good a quantity of hummus which is rightly not made very pasty and left a little coarse. However, I would have liked a little more tahini in the hummus. Made in pomegranate molasses that lends it a unique sweet-sour flavour, Ras Asfour is a must try. This should go well with rice too.
Ashish surely has come a long way. I also met some of his childhood friends who are his partners in the business. Their camaraderie and passion will surely take them even further.
Ratings (Out of 5)
Food: 4.0 | Ambience: 3.0 | Service: 4.5 | Overall: 4.0
Meal for Two: Rs 500 | Wheel Chair Friendly: Yes | Credit Card: Yes | Alcohol: No | Home Delivery: Yes
Address: Lub Lub Lebanese, G-64, Ground Floor, Baani Square, Sector 50, Gurgaon | Phone: 9811600470 / 0124-4220400
Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgement and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review, but readers need to consider this review keeping this fact in mind.
