Eau de Vie: Phoenicia’s Reinvented 11th Floor

At first thought, Eau de Vie on Phoenicia Beirut’s rooftop might not seem like the place you’d bump into me on a normal night. Five star hotel, posh restaurant and a more mature crowd aren’t the usual characteristics I look for when I’d like to have a drink or go out for dinner.

All that changed last Wednesday when we were invited to Eau de Vie to try it out for ourselves. Now, it’s not that my humbler take on life that has changed, it’s more like Eau de Vie is not in fact the stuck-up, we-are-better-than-you, this-couch-costs-more-than-your-house kind of place.

Our relentless abuse of Gemmayzeh and similar locations makes going out eventually routine-like, almost punching in your card at the door of your preferred pub or restaurant. That’s awesome, especially on a weekday with nothing better to do and a budget you’d like to keep small. However, there are times when a little bit more is needed, when the finer things in life are not wrong, when you want to treat that special someone to more than beer and a burger.

Then again, dressing up as if you’re going to a funeral, paying way more than you’d like to and quite frankly behaving in a constipated manner is usually comes along with these finer things in life. I’ve discovered though, that I had unfairly judged Eau de Vie, at least the newer version of the place.

Now, to further elaborate, Eau de Vie is not just a gourmet restaurant. It’s a large venue separated into different segments for different occasions and purposes. There is of course the dining area, both the large and open, and more cozy and intimate, separated by beautiful burgundy curtains. There’s also a cigar bar, with a magnificent marble pool table. For whiskey fans, the place boasts one of the widest selections of whiskeys from all around the world. Now, since I’m neither a fan of cigars, nor whiskeys, the final area of Eau de Vie was what won my heart, so to speak.

The bar area runs along the hall where the cigar lounge, whiskey bar and more intimate dining areas are located near the windows to your right. You might know I’m not a fan of drinking and do it very rarely, but the bartender was kind enough to conjure us up a vodka-based cocktail that was simply divine. I hate it when a drink tastes like alcohol; this one did not, making it a winner with myself as well as my friends who were there, some (whom I shall not name =P) even ordering seconds.

Here, the prospect of not going broke seemed all the more valid and combined with the best view in Beirut, was making Eau de Vie somewhere you’re likely to bump into me on a normal night. The best view? Yes, one which overlooks the Down-Town Beirut area, the new towers in Ain el Mreisseh and the gorgeous St. George Yacht Club. This panoramic view of all the most beautiful things in Beirut makes for a good distraction, giving you plenty of scenery to admire while having a drink and having a conversation.

Moving on, we sat down to have dinner. Here’s where my Eau de Vie preconceptions were no longer valid. The food was spectacular, but also what you’d expect in such a restaurant and hotel. The trolley though makes all the difference, and you get to choose and mix up several elements of your dinner. Karine and I cooked up a salad, which included lettuce, cherry tomatoes, avocados, palmettos, pomegranate and pork bacon, all dressed up in raspberry dressing. You’re probably wondering how many drinks we had to create this crime against nature and food. But it was delicious. Yes, Gino Raidy is saying a salad tasted good and that I loved it! bows to clapping and cheering

The steak I ordered was delicious too, but what really won my heart were the desserts. The pain perdu is a dish I had never tasted before, but Michelle insisted I do and seeing her get her hands on all the pain perdus on the table, I had to taste. I must say, it’s one of the few things I am glad I ventured into in my dining career. It tasted heavenly, the pastry literally melted in my mouth and combined with the vanilla ice cream, made a bite I would come again just to have.

However, the singular item on the menu that changed my life was a bite-seized dessert that is synonymous with perfection. A truffle, stuffed with passion fruit, dipped in chocolate and immersed in coconut shavings. If I had to choose one word to describe the flavors, it’d be “overwhelming” because “orgasmic” is a bit inappropriate. It was similar to when you have sushi that includes salmon, avocado and a lot of Philadelphia cheese (it doesn’t taste the same, but the overwhelming effect is there)

All in all, Eau de Vie was a place I was delighted to have discovered. The venues, the drinks and the food are all amazing, and a closer look at the menu reveals it’s not as unfair as we’d thought. The pastry chef is the pride and glory of the restaurant to me, but live musical performances (which included a violin, grand piano and cello when we were there) the widest selection of wines and whiskeys, the view and the amazing staff did their part in making Eau de Vie a definite destination for future dates. But don’t condemn the place to just the occasional date, for their new Sunday Brunch formula, which lasts from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, is an extremely good bargain for a diverse menu and a lot to eat. Perfect for the family and group of friends on dreaded useless Sundays.

Find places to go to in Lebanon on www.gardlen.com

Eau De Vie

Lounge Bar & Restaurant

Located in Phoenicia Hotel, Ein el Mraysseh, Beirut

Phone: 01357024

Smoking Area

Wifi Available

Open Mon―Sun 10:00am-3:00am

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