Lebanese Taverna brings its expertise to city  Restaurant Review
April 22, 2007|By Elizabeth Large | Elizabeth Large,Sun
Restaurant Critic  Food *** (3 stars)  Service ** (2 stars)
Atmosphere ***1/2 (3 1/2 stars)  The new Lebanese Taverna makes
a great first impression. The "taverna" in the name, the ethnic
cuisine, and the fact that it's part of a local chain could lead
you to believe it might have good food but not much style.
You'd be wrong. The high-ceilinged, contemporary space in the
Spinnaker Bay building is a showstopper. The ceilings are curved
like sails, huge windows let in plenty of light and many of the
seats have views of the water. As modern as the dining room
looks, decorative accessories from the Middle East give it a
sense of history. Silver beaded curtains divide one area from
the next.  But in a bit of marketing cleverness, much of the
food is still home-style Lebanese cooking, those dishes familiar
to Americans like hummus, stuffed grape leaves and kebabs.
You're in surroundings worthy