Tasty

[Hassouni]

[font="Arial"]Yes, this is big cafe with a very large outdoor terrace is actually called Tasty. A very different, non-traditional sort of place (read: kind of funky and hip) on Jeanne d'Arc Street (that's Joan of Arc for all those that don't speak French), about halfway between Hamra St and Bliss St, where AUB is. [/font]

[font="Arial"]What really drew my attention to the places was the MONKEY right at street level:[/font]

[font="Arial"][img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs897.snc4/73005_592564184831_37003198_34554470_154130_n.jpg[/img]
[/font]

[font="Arial"][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOzNdSoTrWc&feature=player_embedded[/media]
[/font]
[font="Arial"]We saw the monkey initially just walking by before deciding to sit down later, and the owner of the place said to me in Arabic - [/font]
[font="Arial"]"10,000LL to take a picture!" I said "no way!" "Ok, 5,000?" me: "never!" him: "did you take a picture?" me, with a huge grin: "nope!" laughter all around. He wasn't too bothered [img]http://www.hookahforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img][/font]

[font="Arial"]Onto the actual review:[/font]

[size="2"][font="Arial"]Atmosphere: 5 out of 5. This place is BIG, and the outdoor area is huge, it's unfair to call it a terrace as the outdoor area is at least as large as the indoor area. They put awnings and heaters up in winter, so you can still sit outside. It's a very nice place, lots of locals and AUB students. [/font][/size]

[size="2"][font="Arial"]Inside: [/font][/size]
[size="2"][font="Arial"][img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs220.snc3/22743_296087218412_508083412_4512768_3052611_n.jpg[/img]

[/font][/size]
[size="2"][font="Arial"]Outside: [/font][/size]
[size="3"][size="2"][font="Arial"][img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs212.snc1/7926_159186713412_508083412_3528506_956238_n.jpg[/img]
[/font][/size][/size]

[size="2"][font="Arial"]Hookah: 4 out of 5. Typical Lebanese argileh, but we got a Mya hose and the coals or packing were off initially. After it was fixed it hit fine, but not the best I've had in Beirut. One thing I liked is that the bowl was slightly bigger than the standard tiny Leb bowls - I have yet to find them for sale at a shop.[/font][/size]
[size="2"][font="Arial"][img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs964.snc4/75708_592564259681_37003198_34554480_8281538_n.jpg[/img]
[/font][/size]

[size="2"][font="Arial"]Fairly small menu selection:
[img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs931.snc4/74487_592564244711_37003198_34554479_4550718_n.jpg[/img][/font][/size]
[size="2"][font="Arial"]Some of it may be cut off, but there wasn't much more than this - in order, top to bottom: Apple, Grape, Lemon and Mint, Grape and Mint, Melon, Rose, Cherry. Price is nice though, 10,000LL is less than $7. Of course, they also have really old school 'Ajami:[/font][/size]
[size="2"][font="Arial"][img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs480.ash2/75329_592564264671_37003198_34554481_7813958_n.jpg[/img] [/font][/size]
[size="2"][font="Arial"]The guys smoking that were at it for about 45 mins and it only reduced in height by no more than 2 inches (out of about 9)![/font][/size]
[size="2"][font="Arial"]
Service: 5/5. I mean, service at places like this is never world-class, but there was nothing to object to, the argileh attendant was pretty good with fixing stuff, and we got what we ordered pretty fast.

Food: N/A. Didn't eat here as far as I can remember. I'm not entirely sure if they have alcohol or not. It said they have Laziza, which is a) a brand of Leb beer that also makes non-alcoholic fruity malt drinks (which are actually nice). So I ordered a Laziza, and the waitress said, oh we don't have alcohol (as in, we have the non alcoholic one). I said ok, no prob anyway. Then after a pause she remembered and said actually we've run out of it, but we have Carlsberg. I said eh, forget it..but Carlsberg is real beer. So I donno the story on that. There are however, plenty of fresh fruit juices and stuff to chose from.

Price: 5 out of 5. 10,000LL is pretty cheap for central Beirut.

Overall recommendation: Really nice. If you're around Hamra or AUB, def hit this place up, Jeanne d'Arc is a quiet commercial/residential tree-lined street with a very cool environment running between Hamra and AUB. I wouldn't say go out of your way to come here, like Rawda or Falamanki, but Tasty is a good place to kill an hour if you're in the area. [/font][/size]

[font="Arial"][size="3"][size="2"]Interestingly, they have a Facebook page, where I took some of the pics from: [/size][/size][/font]
[font="Arial"][size="3"][size="2"][url="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112529772206"]http://www.facebook....id=112529772206[/url][/size][/size][/font]