Le Cedre, which opened in Warsaw nine years ago, has the ambiance of a real traditional Lebanese restaurant, with authentic music and belly dancing every Friday at 8 p.m. You can smoke water pipes, with seven tobacco flavors to choose from. The interior is decorated with original Lebanese objects and on one wall, you will find a huge mural depicting Lebanon circa 1500 B.C. "It is noteworthy that today's Middle Eastern cuisine remains largely influenced by Lebanese cuisine, which originated in Phoenicia," said Tony Nasr, the owner of Le Cedre. "This is a result of the presence of Lebanese [communities] throughout the world." Both Le Cedre's owner and chef come from Lebanon, so genuine Lebanese flavors are guaranteed. "Lebanese cuisine is characterized by its wide variety of starters," the owner said. "We serve around 40, mostly vegetarian." The menu also features a lot of mutton and stuffed dishes.

"Sunday lunches in Lebanon extend into four-hour feasts," the owner said. As for cold starters, he recommends Hommous (zl.10), which is a chickpea puree with tahini; Moutabbal (zl.13)-a puree of baked eggplant with tahini; Tabbouleh (zl.14)-the national Lebanese salad of bulgar wheat and parsley; and Warak Inab (zl.14)-stuffed grape leaves with rice and herbs. Starters can be ordered for one person, but if in a group you can order as many as you can eat and share them among the whole table.

Another interesting proposal is Kibbeh Nayeh (zl.25)-a Lebanese steak tartare served with olive oil and pine nuts. If you prefer your starter warm, try Hommous Lahme (zl.18) which features fried meat, or chunks of grilled Halloumi cheese (zl.16). There is a separate seafood section that includes fried sardines, grilled salmon and grilled shrimp with rice. Typical Lebanese dishes include Kharouf Mehchi (zl.35)-roast mutton stuffed with steamed rice, Mehchi Malfouf (zl.30)-cabbage stuffed with meat, stewed in a garlic and lemon sauce; and finally, Batata Baalbakijeh (zl.30)-potatoes stuffed with meat and vegetables served with a yogurt sauce. "We also have a wide selection of wines imported from Lebanon," said the owner. At the restaurant you can also get arak, served traditionally with water and ice.

Le Cedre can seat up to 70 guests, but also provides catering services for up to 1,000. The restaurant's customers can get take-out as well. The waiters speak Polish, Lebanese, English, French, German and Italian.

Le Cedre restaurant, 61 Solidarności Ave., open daily 11 a.m.-11 p.m., tel. 0-22-670-11-66; www.lecedre.pl