A Review: Byblos Lebanese Restaurant, Roswell, GA

Byblos Lebanese Restaurant
10684 Alpharetta Hwy.
Roswell, GA

A group of friends and I recently decided to try out Byblos Lebanese Restaurant in Roswell, Georgia which is part of Metro Atlanta. None of us had any previous experience with Lebanese or Middle Eastern food so it was going to be a bit of an adventure for us all. The evening didn't start out too well as the restaurant is very hard to see from the main road. A few of us drove past a couple of times before actually seeing the small roadside sign indicating the entrance.

Once inside, we were greeted very warmly by our host and were led to our table. The interior of the restaurant itself is fairly small and very tastefully decorated with Middle Eastern artifacts including swords, masks and hookahs which are basically ornate bong type instruments used for smoking many substances such as herbal fruits and tobacco. There is also a very nice patio area which we were unable to sit at because of the inclement weather but I'd definitely like to check it out on a future visit.

Our waiter was very pleasant and was quick to take our orders. The menu consists of a hot and cold appetizer menu which were all priced in the $4.50 - $6.50 range, as well as a sizeable entree, kids and dessert menu. To start we ordered Makanek which are hot, spicy sausages and Fattoush which is a mixed green salad with tomatoes served over toasted pita bread. Both were absolutely delicious especially the Makanek which has the perfect combination of spices and had all our mouths watering for the main course.

For our entrees we had Shawarma Chicken and a Mixed Grill. The chicken consisted of slow roasted breats which had been marinated to perfection in garlic and served between pita bread, and served with your choice of rice fries, or salad. A very big serving of food and well worth every penny of it's $13.95 price. The Mixed Grill consisted of a sampling of chicken, lamb, and Kafta which is a mixture of ground beef, parsley, and onion which is then skewered. Again the serving were large and all the meat was delicious. The price of the Mixed Grill was $18.95 but again was good value for money. There is an awful lot of meat on the menu but vegetarians fear not, there is also an ample selection od menu choices for you to enjoy also.

I should add that throughout the evening there was a traditional belly dancer performing around the restaurant. It was all very entertaining but we found that while she was out the music was amped up to a level that made any type of intimate conversation impossible. Probably the only black mark on the evening.

We were all very full from the meal and decided to skip dessert and opt instead for a Lebanese coffee. It turned out to be very similar to an espresso but with a markedly more bitter taste yet with a hint of fruit through it too. A bit of an acquired taste but a couple of the members of my group did have a second cup.

The highlight of the evening for me though came at the end of the night when the manager offered to let us try one of the hookahs. He filled with a strawberry smelling herb and we were all given seperate mouthpieces and allowed to sample. I initially was going to pass as I don't smoke but I was assured that even for a non-smoker it is a very pleasant experience. He was correct. I ended up feeling as though I had just eaten a whole chunk of strawberry shortcake and it didn't have the harsh, throat burning sensation of regular cigarettes.

All in all a very good evening and a location I can definitely recommend and one that I will visit again in the near future.

Food 4.5 out of 5
Service 4 out of 5
Ambience 4 out of 5