We went to Beit Jabri, a restaurant in the courtyard of an old Damascene house. It is reached by ducking through an unassuming low wooden door in one of narrow streets of the old city. <\/p>\n
The restaurant opened in the 1990s, though the house is almost 300 years old. It is owned by the Jabri family. \u201cThe owner sits here all day,\u201d an employee said, gesturing towards one corner. In the centre of the courtyard is a large water fountain, and several orange trees grow among the tables. Staff are happy for customers to look around other rooms in the building too.<\/p>\n
I first came to this restaurant in the heady days after Bashar al-Assad<\/a>\u2019s regime fell last December, so it was lovely to return. <\/p>\n Most Syrian<\/a> meals are meant for sharing, with one brave person usually stepping up to order for the table, and others contributing suggestions.<\/p>\n Usually, you include some salads (we went for both rocca salad and fattoush, a staple which includes crispy pieces of bread), and dips (we got Beiruti hummus, which comes with parsley, and Moutabal, made with aubergine). Meat-wise, we had chicken in a white sauce, which was served in a pot; helabi kebab \u2013 a ground beef kebab baked with onions and tomatoes, which was accompanied by cooked tomatoes and bread; and chicken livers (these are not to my personal taste, though my friends love them). We also ordered plates of rice and spicy batata harra, or crispy fried potatoes.<\/p>\n Of course the bill would have been more expensive if alcohol had been included: while it is possible to get alcohol in some restaurants, Beit Jabri, like many others in Syria<\/a>, does not serve it. We instead ordered water for the table and finished off our meal with a cup of tea each. Other non-alcoholic drinks are available, including a peach slushie (34,000, or \u20ac2.53), a caramel frapp\u00e9 (45,000, or \u20ac3.36) and a \u201cBlue Hawaii\u201d (30,000, or \u20ac2.23).<\/p>\n Some diners were smoking argileh, or shisha, at their tables; it was available for 30,000 Syrian pounds (or \u20ac2.23) in flavours including apple, grape, bubblegum and blueberry. Desserts on the menu included a chocolate pancake (45,000 pounds, or \u20ac3.36) and a fettuccine crepe (65,000 pounds, or \u20ac4.85).<\/p>\n Another restaurant nearby had an oud player who performs as you eat, but Beit Jabri reserves musical performances for Monday nights, when staff remove the tables and different singers and musicians are invited. Tickets can sell out a week in advance, according to a staff member.<\/p>\n [\u00a0\u2018People are constantly surprised when I tell them my favourite\u2019: Our food writers reveal where they dine when off-dutyOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n If you want a starter or something sweet on the way to or from a meal in Damascus (or as a separate meal altogether), I recommend getting a \u201ccocktail\u201d \u2013 juice, which can include liquidised avocado, served with ashta (a type of cream), nuts and some chopped up fruit. It\u2019s usually eaten with a spoon. Or you could get a serving of baklava, knafeh or another of the many desserts from one of shops and stands around the old city, which will set you back a few euro or less. instagram.com\/beit.jabri.restaurant<\/a><\/p>\n What\u2019s the best meal Keith Duggan can get for \u20ac120 in Washington?<\/a>![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ZNMYGIQ7VBDI3MOFR5G5TCWWME.jpg\")
The entrance to Beit Jabri, a restaurant in the old city in Damascus ![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SEABNTRNTFFC5I6AEBBDXTA2QU.jpg\")
A shared meal between five people in Beit Jabri restaurant came to less than \u20ac40 <\/p>\n