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ratcheese wrote: We paid almost $50 last night at the Lebanese place on Magazine St. --I'm drawing a blank--the good one, not Monas. That was 2 people--1 Chicken Shawrma and 1 Vegetarian Plate, 2 iced teas, split one desert, + tip = $47+

Byblos?

ratcheese wrote:We paid almost $50 last night at the Lebanese place on Magazine St. --I'm drawing a blank--the good one, not Monas. That was 2 people--1 Chicken Shawrma and 1 Vegetarian Plate, 2 iced teas, split one desert, + tip = $47+

Ratcheese, did you notice if they had the TVs going in the bar area at Byblos?
Since it's really in the restaurant, it's hard not to hear it.
That really dumbs down a dining experience for me, especially in what's supposed to be "the good one" as you stated.
The TVs, skiddish service, and mistakes in our order too many times - it has dropped off of our list as being a "nicer place".
I'd rather go to Lebanon Cafe any day.
Which I did on Sunday and the Lamb Chops for $18 was a steal.
Touted as 16 oz, out came 7 meaty lamb chops that were perfectly grilled.
The Lula Kabob was around $11 or $12.

Isabella Maja wrote:Ratcheese, did you notice if they had the TVs going in the bar area at Byblos?
Since it's really in the restaurant, it's hard not to hear it.
That really dumbs down a dining experience for me, especially in what's supposed to be "the good one" as you stated.
The TVs, skiddish service, and mistakes in our order too many times - it has dropped off of our list as being a "nicer place".
I'd rather go to Lebanon Cafe any day.
Which I did on Sunday and the Lamb Chops for $18 was a steal.
Touted as 16 oz, out came 7 meaty lamb chops that were perfectly grilled.
The Lula Kabob was around $11 or $12.

Yes, they had the TVs on, but the sound was muted. Service was very friendly but ummm well, nice college kid. But, the food is just excellent IMO--really good.

I like Lebanon, too. We live just a few blocks from there, but I want to give you a tip in the same area--go to Maple St. and try Babylon. I think their food is on par with Lebanon and some of their portions are crazy big--big enough to split. Their Kibby is the size of friggin' softball and their meat plates are huge. Atmosphere takes a big hit--very plain (dull) and I just remembered, it is connected to the laundrymat next door, so you can actually check on your clothes without even going outside, sooo. But for a neighborhood joint, lots of food for little money.

Ratcheese, thanks for the reminder about Babylon.
I've been a few times, yet still prefer Lebanon's food.
However, a big kibbe I'd like to see, so I'll give them another
try. Also, did you know that the guys that own Lebanon &
Babylon are brothers?

It's been awhile since I've been to Babylon
& I don't remember the appetizers. Do they have anything like
the Bathenjan or Musaha (sp?), those wonderfully spicy eggplant spreads?
Can you think of other reallly good apps they might have that no one else has?

No, I had no idea they were brothers. My wife is like you, she prefers Lebanon, but I really think it has more to do with the atmosphere than the food. I know every time we go back to Babylon, she comments about how she forgot how good the food was.

On the appetizers, no I can't really recall offhand due to the way we order when we go there. Their portions are so big, we skip the apps. I may order a Kibby as an app. and we split an entree--their chicken teeka(?) salad is humongous, for example. If you don't split, you end-up taking it home, which is OK, too.

I've had some pretty good luck over at Phoenician, too. But, it reminds me of Babylon, in the sense that the atmosphere sucks. Its over off Claiborne, next door to Bud's Broiler, behind the Frostop--for the adventurous you--but, between, Lebanon, Babylon, and the OCCASIONAL Byblos, I think we have Middle-Eastern pretty much covered in our neck of the woods.