After attending the tasting of Lebanon wines at the Beverly Hilton Hotel we could not wait till we got back to Phoenicia Restaurant in Glendale to match some of the wines we had tasted with its award winning Lebanese cuisine.  We already knew that Owner Ara Kalfayan would have many of these excellent vintages in his cellar.
When it comes to wine Lebanon has a history that extends back almost six thousand years. The land and climate was friendly to viticulture and it was peopled by Phoenicians who were renown principally for their wide travel and trading. They were shipping wine to Egypt two thousand years before Christ. Modern vineyards and winemaking received fresh stimulus when the French arrived in the country during the last half of the 19th century. First by Jesuit monks and then by French vintners.
However when we did arrive at Phoenicia we learned that some seventy five people had got there before us to attend a food and wine matching with  Chateau Ksara wines.  One of the oldest wineries in Lebanon since 1857, when the Jesuits discovered an ideal place for growing grapes and producing wine which is the Bekaa Valley.
Most wines from Lebanon show a French influence and the red wines are generally blends of French varietals like Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot. Two of Lebanon native varietals are still to be found, Obaideh and Merwah.
Our dinner opened with appetizers that included Hommos; Labni, Lebanese cream cheese served with garlic; Warak Enab, grape leaves stuffed with rice, oil and vegetables, cooked in lemon juice and olive oil, and Tabbouleh, chopped parsley, crushed wheat, tomatoes and onions. Some hot appetizers we tasted included Kibbeh Makli, beef dumpling stuffed with ground beef; Bourghoul , onions and pine nuts as well as San Bousek, freshly prepared dough with ground beef and pine nuts and Rekakat, a selection of Lebanese cheese baked in a pastry dough.
Our samplers of grill selections included Beef Kafta, ground beef, onions, parsley and spices, grilled on skewers. One of our favorites are the lamb chops marinated with spices and grilled. Also chicken breast kabob, perfectly prepared rice and the best french fries we have had in a long time.
This is a restaurant where everything is done well and most professionally.
Phoenicia is located at 343 North Central Avenue in Glendale with off street parking. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. except on weekends there is live entertainment with a 2 a.m. closing time. For more information or reservations call 818 956-7800.