Arabeska, Bratislava. (source: Courtesy, Mark Taylor)
Arabeska bistro, situated near to the Blue Church on Štúrova, has an active online presence, which talks about bringing the food of the Near East to Slovakia, and there is clearly a strong Lebanese influence on the menu. This is a style of food that has benefited from centuries of international, cross-cultural movements, as traders and travellers carried ideas between the Far East and Europe, from the Balkans and the Mediterranean. Ingredients, spices and techniques combined to create a complex cuisine, that I think probably has some dishes to please everybody.
The restaurant itself is a bright and airy space, with colourful murals and the sounds of family chatter. Paper menus in either English or Slovak are brief, but include a QR code link that allow you to see more details, and photographs of all the dishes, on your smart phone. Grilled meats, home made breads and a dizzying array of dips are successful in attracting people to the simple dining room, even early during a lunch time. Booking ahead might be advisable.
