Bites: Lebanese

Al Fawar, 50 Baker Street, London W1 (020-7224 4777). Daily 12pm-12am. Typical of the glitzier tendency, one wall of this spacious Lebanese restaurant is dominated by a boldly-coloured desert scene. The cooking lives up to the drama generated by the decor and a full house of Middle Eastern diners. There's a vast range of often unusual mezze (artichoke hearts, beetroot salad, lamb's tongues, Lebanese fish sausages), and a special dish of the day for £11. Prices aren't low, but the quantities are generous. The £25 set meal includes 10 mezze dishes and a main course, usually the mixed grill of chicken and lamb kebabs and kofte, pastries and coffee.

Al Fawar, 50 Baker Street, London W1 (020-7224 4777). Daily 12pm-12am. Typical of the glitzier tendency, one wall of this spacious Lebanese restaurant is dominated by a boldly-coloured desert scene. The cooking lives up to the drama generated by the decor and a full house of Middle Eastern diners. There's a vast range of often unusual mezze (artichoke hearts, beetroot salad, lamb's tongues, Lebanese fish sausages), and a special dish of the day for £11. Prices aren't low, but the quantities are generous. The £25 set meal includes 10 mezze dishes and a main course, usually the mixed grill of chicken and lamb kebabs and kofte, pastries and coffee.

Al-Shami, 25 Walton Crescent, Oxford (01865 310066). Daily 12pm-12am. Oxford can count itself fortunate to have one of the few Middle Eastern restaurants outside London, and a particularly good one at that. At this Lebanese place, a meal begins with a plate of beautiful raw vegetables, as is customary. The mezze are the main attraction, and range from fried cauliflower with sesame oil, parsley, garlic and lemon juice, to lamb's brain salad, with more familiar choices in between. There are grilled meats for the main course from £6; baked cod in sesame sauce for £12.

Al Waha, 75 Westbourne Grove, London W2 (020 7229 0806). Daily 12pm-12am. Considerate staff, an attractive, though not glitzy restaurant and deft cooking all mark out Al Waha as one of the most appealing Lebanese restaurants in west London. The masses of mezze are zesty and varied, with raw lamb three ways, sweetbreads and grilled quail, and plenty for vegetarians; main courses stick to the char grills formula, adeptly cooked. Around £25 with your share of wine.

Hanni's, 4 Brooklands Road, Sale, Greater Manchester (0161-973 6606). Mon-Sat dinner. A family affair with warmth and good food in a bistro setting. The menu covers the Eastern Mediterranean, taking in Syria and Egypt but with an emphasis on Lebanese dishes. Much-loved by a loyal clientele are the hoummos, baba ganoush and spicy lamb sausage as mezze. Main courses cast the net wide enough to take in stifado and several couscouses, but at their heart are kebabs, even a tzoog kebab which is grilled halibut. There are Greek, Lebanese and Moroccan wines. Expect to pay around £30 a head with a share of these.