Bulgur, the base of kibbeh
The cracked wheat, soaked then kneaded with the meat, forms the dough of kibbeh and gives it its characteristic texture.
Lebanese kibbeh · Nantes
Lebanese kibbeh, an emblematic mezze of Lebanon by Le Cèdre
Bulgur, minced meat, pine nuts and spices: kibbeh is one of the great classics of the Lebanese table. At Le Cèdre, Lebanese cuisine is made in house on rue Kervegan since 1988.
What is Lebanese kibbeh
Kibbeh, an essential specialty of Lebanon
Kibbeh is one of the best-known preparations of Lebanese cuisine and the eastern Mediterranean. It combines bulgur, the cracked wheat typical of the region, with finely minced meat, most often lamb or beef, seasoned with onion and spices. This dough is then shaped, filled and cooked in different ways depending on the regions and families. At Le Cèdre, the first Lebanese restaurant in Nantes, opened on rue Kervegan in 1988, Lebanese cuisine is made in house, in the great tradition of the mezze and dishes of Lebanon.
Discovering Lebanese kibbeh means entering the world of hot mezze, those small preparations shared at the start of the meal around the table. Kibbeh is recognised by its golden bulgur crust and its fragrant heart of meat and pine nuts. Served in bites or in portions, it invites sharing, faithful to the convivial spirit of Lebanese cuisine that Le Cèdre has kept alive in Nantes for more than thirty years.
The faces of kibbeh
The great families of Lebanese kibbeh
Kibbeh comes in several forms depending on the cooking, the filling and the way it is served. Here are the elements that make up a Lebanese kibbeh and that you find in the family of mezze.
The meat and the pine nuts
A filling of minced meat, onion and toasted pine nuts makes up the heart of kibbeh and brings its generous flavour.
Fried kibbeh in bites
Shaped into croquettes and fried, kibbeh becomes a golden, crisp hot mezze, perfect to share.
Kibbeh for your events
Hot mezze like kibbeh naturally find their place on a buffet; Le Cèdre puts together your events on quotation.
The making
How Lebanese kibbeh is made
Making kibbeh relies on patient know-how. The bulgur is first soaked then kneaded at length with very finely minced meat, onion and a blend of spices, until a supple, smooth dough is obtained. This dough then serves as a shell: it is shaped by hand before being filled with a stuffing of meat and toasted pine nuts.
Depending on the regions and families, kibbeh is then fried, baked in a tray or enjoyed another way. Each cooking method changes its texture, from the golden crisp of the fried version to the softness of baked kibbeh. It is this diversity, inherited from the tables of Lebanon, that makes kibbeh a dish as rich as it is convivial, in the image of the homemade Lebanese cuisine of Le Cèdre in Nantes.
The variations
The different ways to enjoy kibbeh
Kibbeh takes many faces in Lebanese cuisine. Shaped into elongated, fried balls, it becomes a crisp hot mezze shared as a starter. Laid out in a tray and baked, filled with meat and pine nuts, it is served in generous portions. Each version keeps the pairing of bulgur and meat that makes the signature of kibbeh, varied according to tastes and occasions.
Tasting
Tasting Lebanese kibbeh in Nantes
Lebanese kibbeh is enjoyed at the start of the meal, among the hot mezze, or as a dish depending on its preparation. Its richness calls for sharing: you pick a few bites, you pair it with a cold mezze, a grill or a glass of Lebanese wine. At Le Cèdre, in Nantes, homemade Lebanese cuisine is savoured in this convivial spirit, around a table where mezze, grills and syrup desserts follow one another.
A Mediterranean tradition
Kibbeh, a dish of sharing
Kibbeh belongs to the great family of bulgur-and-meat preparations of the eastern Mediterranean, shared from Lebanon across the whole region. To learn more about its history and its variants, discover kibbeh and its heritage of shared indulgence.
In Nantes since 1988
Tasting Lebanese cuisine in Nantes
In Nantes, it is at Le Cèdre that you find the spirit of Lebanese cuisine and its mezze. Located at 20 rue Kervegan, on the Île de Nantes, a few steps from the Bouffay district, the restaurant is the first Lebanese restaurant in the city. Since 1988, it has offered a 100% homemade menu: cold and hot mezze, fire-grilled dishes, syrup desserts and a selection of Lebanese wines, in a warm dining room in the heart of Nantes.
You can savour our homemade Lebanese cuisine on site, at lunch and dinner, or find it as takeaway and delivery within Nantes via Uber Eats and Deliveroo. Le Cèdre also offers a catering service on quotation for your weddings, seminars and family meals, with the same homemade cuisine served at the restaurant.
Frequently asked questions
Lebanese kibbeh: your questions
What is Lebanese kibbeh?
Lebanese kibbeh is a preparation based on bulgur and finely minced meat, seasoned with onion and spices, shaped then filled with a stuffing of meat and pine nuts. It is a great classic of the mezze of Lebanese cuisine, made in house at Le Cèdre in Nantes.
What is kibbeh made of?
Kibbeh combines bulgur (cracked wheat) with minced meat, usually lamb or beef, along with onion, spices and often toasted pine nuts. The bulgur forms the shell and the meat makes up the filling.
How is Lebanese kibbeh enjoyed?
Kibbeh is enjoyed at the start of the meal among the hot mezze, or as a dish depending on its cooking. At Le Cèdre, in Nantes, it is appreciated in the sharing spirit of the Lebanese table, with other mezze, grills or a Lebanese wine.
Where can you taste Lebanese cuisine in Nantes?
At Le Cèdre, 20 rue Kervegan, 44000 Nantes, on the Île de Nantes near the Bouffay district. Opened on rue Kervegan in 1988, it is the first Lebanese restaurant in the city, with a 100% homemade menu.
Can you order Lebanese cuisine for takeaway in Nantes?
Yes. Le Cèdre offers takeaway and delivery within Nantes via Uber Eats and Deliveroo, as well as a catering service on quotation for your events.
Book
Come and taste Lebanese cuisine at Le Cèdre
Homemade mezze, fire-grilled dishes, syrup desserts and Lebanese wines await you at 20 rue Kervegan. Book your table online and come and discover the Lebanese cuisine of Le Cèdre, in Nantes.
Le Cèdre has kept Lebanese cuisine alive in Nantes since 1988. As the first Lebanese restaurant in the city, located at 20 rue Kervegan on the Île de Nantes, it offers a 100% homemade menu: cold and hot mezze, fire-grilled dishes, syrup desserts and a selection of Lebanese wines. Kibbeh, based on bulgur and meat, belongs to the great family of mezze shared around the Lebanese table. Faithful to this sharing spirit, the house welcomes individuals and families at lunch and dinner and puts together a Lebanese buffet on quotation for weddings, seminars and family meals. On site after booking online, for takeaway or delivery via Uber Eats and Deliveroo: the flavours of Lebanon at Le Cèdre look forward to seeing you in the heart of Nantes.