Terrific Takeout: Byblos Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
The absolutely outstanding Kibbee Naye Tartare of Byblos
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It is the hallmark of a truly excellent restaurant to sell us on a type of cuisine that we didn't think we liked in the first place (because we were going to the wrong venues of this cuisine) and be so superb that we keep going back!
We LOVE Byblos, and because we do, we now LOVE LEBANESE cuisine.
If you have not been to Byblos to see Sonia and Sabeh, what are you waiting for?
We first visited it last summer:
and were so impressed, we returned for a Peachy's Picks feature and brought along a panelist who grew up with this kind of cuisine:
After visiting Byblos for the second time, Peachy Deegan began having dreams and cravings of Kibbee Naye, which we can barely pronounce! Visions of this carnivorous treasure punctuated our mind and we absolutely had to return to Byblos. If you have never had this, you must. We would not have ordered it on our own (see the first review) but our panelist talked us into it and you mash it up with your fork and add olive oil and salt and pepper. You will revel in its divine simplicity and probably start dreaming about it too once you taste it. For the record, we dream about probably less than 5% of everything we publish on (and have eaten and considered a lot more than we have published on.)
Raw kibbee mixed with wheat and Byblos's special seasoning is just to-die-for. We love the taste, we love the texture, we love the anticipation, we hate the empty plate that results. Mint leaves also join the party, and this is the only time ever in her life that Peachy Deegan has liked lamb, or twice if you count the two times we've had it at Byblos so far. We cannot say enough about this appetizer. If you think you don't like Lebanese, you clearly have not been to Byblos and eaten this!!!
For our green salad, we ordered the Byblos House: Fattoush! It is another terrific concoction that you already know: salad - with that extra special Byblos touch. The Byblos proprietary spices really will win you over with the lettuce and tomato, topped with toasted pita. The ordinary becomes extraordinary at Byblos. Byblos is so successful with ingredients of simplicity because they are total quality. By the way Byblos does have happy hour from 5-7pm with complimentary hors d'oeuvres.
Finally, for our entree we chose a classic: Grilled Chicken Kabob. It is a wonderful comfort food any time of year, and particularly on a gray day like today.
The delicious marinated chicken will pique your tastebuds served over rice and peas, and when you eat it you'll be left with a feeling that everything is right in the world!
Just as amazing as the cuisine at Byblos are the owners Sonia and Sabeh.
Tell them Peachy said hi when you visit!
