Paname — Restaurant in Saifi

I don’t usually wait so impatiently for a restaurant to open, but that was the case with Paname. The reason for this impatience: Chef Youssef Akiki. For me, Burgundy’s chef is one of the best, if not the best chef in Lebanon. When I saw the opening announcement, my heart skipped a beat. I had to reserve. Finally, I was walking around in the pleasant Saifi environment with this Almost French restaurant as my destination. When we arrived, we were greeted with people casually sitting outside and a very friendly staff. We were led to our table and given our menus. I scrutinized all of the listed items and wanted to taste as much of the variety provided as I could. We ordered the Seared Bluefin Tuna Ceviche and Scottish Salmon Carpaccio as starters. For mains, we ordered the Spaghetti with Speck, the Wagyu Beef Burger, and the Grilled Plaice. We wanted to order the Grilled Black Angus Tenderloin but it was unavailable. The first items that were placed on our table were a basket of bread, and the wines we had asked for. Then, it really began. The appetizers arrived. The presentation was beautiful; it was reminiscent of Burgundy’s finesse. Both the salmon and the tuna were delicious. The seasoning was well-balanced and the combination of flavors all coming together in one bite was delightful. I loved how the mango tidbits complemented the tuna perfectly. We proceeded with our main dishes soon after. The spaghetti was cooked just right and the sauce was light and creamy. As for the burger, the doneness of the meat rendered it juicy and succulent, making it stand out despite its simple flavor profile. The fish was also extremely tender and moist, and the other components on the plate along with the dressing enhanced the taste even further. When it was time for dessert, the waiter informed us that they would be complimentary. They even refused to charge us for an additional dessert we wanted to pay for. We had the Strawberry Panna Cotta, the Tiramisu, and the Chocolate Mousse. The sauce smothering the cream in the panna cotta was fresh and intense, and the Tiramisu was rich and tasty. Honestly, I preferred both to the mousse dessert, although it was still really good as well. All in all, the service was great and I enjoyed my meal from beginning to end. My taste buds were left widely awakened and longing for more of those creations with flavorful ingredients, especially those fishy appetizers that will keep me coming...

It is the posh place to be. To see and to be seen. It was recently renovated, redecorated, and the result is nice. The menu is also improved but the prices higher which is a shame cos it was already not on the cheap side. We had tomato salad (very tasty and good portion), ravioli ricotta (al dente, tasty but very small portion), wagyu burger (very good) and tarte tomate Chevre (fresh). We ended it with tiramisu and chocolat mou and they were also delicious. Coffee was terrible though and it's a shame cos would be great to hang around in the afternoon on the terrace while sipping a good coffee. Best thing about this place is the quiet atmosphere within the...

Terrible service. Was seated and it took 20 minutes before anyone came to my table.

Special salad was over-dressed and imbalanced, with too much citrus that rendered it inedible. My drink came after I had to ask for it, and after my salad was served 15-minutes before.

I had to keep asking to have my water glass refilled, despite ordering a large bottle of water.

Not a waiter to be found, even if there are only three guests in the outdoor area.

A man who seemed to be a manager looked angry at everyone and everything. Waiters the same.

Overall, an exceptionally disappointing experience that means I’ll not be coming back. Unfortunate way to spend my...