Byblos

Years ago--I'm talking decades--my grandparents came to the Toledo area from Laredo, Texas, that small town being low on jobs. They had a big family, and some of it ended up in Adrian, MI, some in Toledo. My mom moved to Detroit as a teen, which is how I ended up in the "D."  I thought I'd never have the opportunity to leave Detroit. I sure as heck wanted to; I'd thought of it as a dump my entire life. But then it grew on me. And now that I've moved to the Toledo area, I miss home. 

Of course, now, there's this "renaissance" going on in Detroit. Now, it's the place to be. Whatever. Thanks for waiting until I left to start asserting yourself, Detroit. 

Anyway, what I miss most, of course, about the Motor City, is the food. I miss having a really good Coney Island right down the street. Or excellent Mexican food 10 minutes away, or fine Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern, Cuban, Puerto Rican...you get the point. 

So as I venture forth from these new Toledo-area digs, it has truly become a pleasure to search-out interesting places to consume more food. One thing I think Toledo does well: Mediterranean cuisine. 

I feel I simply cannot talk about Toledo's Mediterranean fare without mentioning Byblos on Reynolds. The place is so cozy. I don't know what it is. Perhaps the decor reminds me less of a restaurant and more of a businessman's social club--a place where, back in the day, gray-hairs would chew the fat about options while they smoked cigars and drank Scotch from snifters. (Ok, that's more or less my own idealized view of what "back in the day" was like.) Whatever it is, with its leather chairs, cozy bar, and brick walls, Byblos has charm. 

And the food is excellent. The pita bread is good. The fattoush salad is good. The hummus is good. But you expect all that. The chicken is great. The lamb is great. That's all refreshing. But what you don't expect is the flavor you get in a dish like the "Arayes"--the tender, flame-broiled taste of kafta, sandwiched between crisp, toasted pieces of pita bread. Dip it in hummus! And what sandwich doesn't go well with steak fries? There's also the excellent shish-kabobs made of chicken, lamb, and tenderloin--each one succulent, juicy, and seasoned delectably with a myriad of spices including allspice, cumin, and coriander. The food's fragrant  aroma bespeaks its savory flavors. The garlic spread is done just as well and compliments anything on your plate. 

Here's what I love: Byblos's falafel. You've tried these before; you bite into one of these tasty little apps with a fried, crunchy outer layer and great texture, only to be disappointed by a dry, brittle interior. Not here. This falafel is tasty, well-balanced, not over-spicy, and...what's this? Moist! I haven't tasted falafel this good even in the "d". No, not "The D." I'm talking about Dearborn. It's delicious. And topped with vegetables and tahini, this falafel is a filling meal or salad. And it's vegan! (If you're into that. I'm not, but wanted to get-in on the hype.) 

One thing I haven't seemed to find around here is the fluffy rice pilaf I'm accustomed to. It's flavor is delicate and it's textures, made with toasted nuts and bits of sautéed pasta, contribute to that oh so satisfying pairing with grilled meats like shish-tawook and shish-kafta. Toledo rice: not so much. Here, the rice is seasoned with things that give it a yellowish hue and it's laden with veggies like peas and carrots. It's a firmer rice, a la Uncle Ben, but overall, it's not unpalatable. None of that matters, anyway, because these Toledo restaurants have something going for them that Detroit ones do not. 

You won't believe me when I tell you what I find really intriguing about Byblos: they serve alcohol! Seriously. Some Middle-Eastern restaurants in Detroit are classic: Al-Ameer, Cedarland, Shattila. You get killer food but you can't get beer or a glass of wine. That doesn't seem to be the case here in T-town, where places like Byblos and Beirut and Ya Halla serve-up a full bar. But, to be fair, these restaurants are billed as "Lebanese." They're not so much "Middle-Eastern", as they are "Mediterranean" fare. Well, there is Italian food on their menus, after all. So there's a difference here. A variance in region? Culture? Ethnicity? I'm not sure, but it's all good. Keep doin' yo thang, T-town. All I know is that it's nice to have a glass of red wine with food. Especially food this good that deserves it.