Meze

Meze or mezze 'to taste', is the name for a number of small dishes or appetizers served before a meal, often with a drink. The food is common in the Eastern Mediterranean. Drinks include anise-flavored liqueurs, such as "arak", "ouzo", "raki" or different wines. These dishes are similar to the "tapas" of Spain or finger food.
In Levantine cuisines and in the Caucasus region (especially in Armenia and Georgia), these dishes are served as a part of any large-scale meal. Not accompanied by alcohol, meze is known in the Arab world as "muqabbilat" (Arabic for "starters").