Cocteau "Chic"

This is a very fancy French brasserie in Ashrafieh, where the walls are covered with French artists' doodles and there's a waiter per person. Tatler Magazine called Cocteau "the prettiest restaurant in Beirut." It has quickly become my favorite steak place since coming back from Lausanne. The Cote de Boeuf is sick, the pommes Dauphinoise is creamy, and their Fondant au Chocolat is heavenly. But this haunt has haunted me ever since it was the scene of an ugly company incident, when I was blackmailed by one of my old partners into buying them out. Shame though, a brilliant restaurant.