Syrian cuisine is made of fresh, spicy, and refined composed dishes where vegetables, fruit, and even flowers play an essential role. Honey, nuts, fruit, dairy, some meat and fish rub shoulders with exotic grains, such as bulghur. Its heritage and influences are rich and multicultural, with tomatoes, aubergines, and zucchini contributing juicy, sunny notes. Rose essence, orange blossom syrup, fruit and cardamom-infused coffee add an Eastern touch to the sweet finale.
Like in many other Mediterranean countries, Syrian cuisine favours warm and cold mezze, an assortment of small dishes to be shared among diners, often served before the main course.
Southern ingredients such as garlic and olive oil rub shoulders with refined spices such as saffron and play an essential role. Syrian cuisine is marked both by its topography and the warm sunshine. Located between the sea and the land, the country’s cooking spotlights delicately prepared marine and agricultural life. Olives, lemons, and vine leaves are plentiful in the landscape and the flavours. Spices and herbs such as parsley and chilli lend a decidedly Eastern accent to the cooking; refreshing and hot elements round each other out.
Our drinks, too, reflect the ancient art of spicing; accordingly, you will find a touch of cilantro or a pinch of saffron and rose in our cocktails. Syrian wine culture is ancient, and consequently, great wine is essential to fine dining at Restaurant Damas, suiting vegetarian and meatier dishes. Want to know a secret? The subtle wine pairing suggestions from the sommelier should make all plates and palates even happier!
