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Restaurant Ratings

The ratings are based mostly on the degree to which the food excites us, and a little on environment, service, and other considerations. I rate restaurants relative to all other restaurants in the New Orleans area. Here's what the stars mean to me:

starstarstarstarstar
Among the best locally.

starstarstarstar
Excellent and ambitious.

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Worth crossing town for.

starstar
Recommended.

*
Acceptable.

No star
Unacceptable.

Cost Ratings
Each dollar sign indicates a ten-dollar range, including a normal meal for the restaurant (dinner, if they serve other meals), not including drinks, or tips. So, for example. . .

1$--$5-15
2$--$15-25
3$--$25-35

. . . and so on, with no upper limit. While this scheme may suggest mathematical precision, know that perception of price varies from diner to diner as much as the star ratings do. So consider this an estimate.

All reviews are based entirely on meals I have personally taken at the restaurant and paid for from my own pocket. I don't take free review meals, nor am I reimbursed by anybody for my restaurant expenditures.

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Byblos Market

Middle Eastern.
Metairie: 2020 Veterans Blvd.. 504-837-9777. Map.
Lunch and dinner continuously seven days.
Casual.
AE DC DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S ESSENTIAL
This is the grocery-and-deli adjunct to the Byblos restaurants on Metairie Road and Magazine Street, but it has its own menu and special attractions that keep it on my mental map of restaurants. Particularly for days when time is short. In fact, this may be the best fast-food restaurant in town. You can come in, eat, and be gone in fifteen minutes if you needed to. And yet eat very well.

WHY IT'S GOOD
Behind the counter, a pair of vertical rotisseries slowly turn with gyros and chicken shawarma. The latter is the best in town, made in the most traditional way--not something many Middle Eastern restaurants do. The chicken is roasted, then sliced and stacked on the rotisserie. As it turns, it gets crusty at the edges, and that's the part the chef slices off for you. It comes with a fluffy garlic sauce, basmati rice pilaf, hummus, a salad with feta cheese, and a few black olives for far under $10. It's almost too much to finish. Daily specials of things like kafta kebabs and roast chicken are also here and just as cheap and good.

BACKSTORY
Byblos Market opened in the late 1990s, on the heels of the success of the two full-service Byblos restaurants elsewhere in town. Same owners.

DINING ROOM
It has the look of a convenience store, its shelves and refrigerator cases full of Middle Eastern foodstuffs for those looking to make their own. A row of tables next to the deli makes for comfortable eating, although everything id disposable.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Hummus.
Baba ghanoosh.
Tabbouleh.
Falafel.
Chicken shawarma.
Gyros.
Greek salad.
Spinach pie.
Daily specials.
Baklava.

FOR BEST RESULTS
Check the board for the day's specials. You might miss it, and these are usually very good.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Plastic plates and utensils are unappealing, but it's hard to argue at these prices.

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

This review was updated with new information on 9/22/2009.