Casper & Gambini’s take first prize with their new menu
New menus are always an excitement, and Casper & Gambini’s filled the gap with their new selection that is not limited to just thrilling dishes and trendy ingredients, but is extended to heartfelt drinks and coffee.
Casper & Gambini’s has always had an average reputation considering their prices versus quality, which is why most AUB students would opt out of trying it out, even though it is just as close as the restaurants they visit on the daily.
The new menu proves that the staff have been working hard and solid to create a better experience for many Lebanese alike by switching it up and keeping the prices at stake.
C&G recently changed their decor around a year ago and followed it up with a triumph of delicious menu items in each of their categories being breakfast, starters, soups, salads, pasta, sandwiches, mains, burgers, pizzas, sushi and desserts.
In the breakfast section, the granola & yogurt succeeded as a refreshing, energizing and succulent meal to have right before classes. The use of a thick and creamy greek yogurt works well with the addition of a crunchy and sweet handful of granola. A spoonful of maple syrup comes on the side to intensify the sweetness according to each person’s taste buds.
The restaurant introduced a pumpernickel toastie to their starters as a tribute to the German trend. Topped with a pinky fresh slice of smoked salmon, the toastie becomes both sweet and savory with the blend of the pumpernickel’s sweetness and the salmon’s smoked attitude.
Considering the icy week that passed, the new soups from C&G’s would’ve come in handy. In addition to their mushroom and tomato soup, the chef introduced both carrot & ginger soup, as well as lentil soup.
The carrot & ginger truly stands out with the sprinkle of sliced almonds and pumpkin seeds that add a crunch to every spoonful of soup. The ginger also makes it perfect to cure a sore throat when you’ve been soaked wet with mother nature.
Many healthy salads were added to the list such as their heritage goat cheese. It has a base of endive and wild lettuce, decorated with yellow and red beetroot, as well as three small warm goat cheese toasts and a sprinkle of hazelnut and pumpkin seeds. The sauce is a secret that needs to be revealed. It obviously has a raspberry sweetness to it, but the chef keeps it a mystery.
The biggest sigh comes with the chocolate surprise as dessert. A shiny chocolate dome stands solid in the middle of the grandiose plate, but in it hide three silky smooth layers of mousse, milk, white and dark Belgian chocolate. Even more chocolate glaze is offered on the side along with red fruit sorbet.
But, a meal is never complete without a cup of coffee and their new cafe cortado is what you need to get your energy soaring again. Composed of an espresso shot topped with frothed milk, this is the perfect drink, also light on the stomach.
C&G finally proved its strong presence in the Lebanese food scene with its new and trendy menu items that will take a lot of thinking to defeat. Always keep in mind that AUB students and faculty get an extra discount when visiting the AUBMC branch.
*article originally written for Outlook AUB on February 21, 2017*
