Zeitoun, in Arabic, means olive.

We opened with a simple idea: the food we'd cook for friends at home, but in a room with proper lighting and a wine list. Lebanese, but unhurried. Generous, but not enormous. Familiar enough for a Tuesday, special enough for a Saturday.

The kitchen leans on Beirut for the warm mezza: hommous, falafel, kibbeh, sambousek. The charcoal handles everything that wants smoke and time. Lamb shoulder. Marinated chops. King prawns. Whole sea bass.

The bar leans further. A long list of gin, mixers included; Lebanese reds from St. Thomas, Château Kefraya and Château Musar; classics done properly; a Bramble in summer and a Spiced Mojito in winter. We're open later than most kitchens, so the bar quietly becomes the room.