Winesday

Rene: Crisp and mineral this wine has a faint taste of salt, the ocean. I get a little bit of citrus, like a squirt of grapefruit. It is a perhaps a little heavy for an aperitif, but it definitely needs seafood. Maybe some fried seafood, but not in a heavy batter. I'd want a batter more resembling tempura, so maybe the fried Gulf shrimp with sambal and grapefruit that is always on the menu at Coquette. Or ditch the batter and go with the marinated Spanish anchovies with stewed onions from Lilette. If you choose the latter, just make sure your date will kiss you regardless.

Peter: This is a nicely balanced wine. Kind of heavy in the mouth, a little buttery but not overly oaky or rich. This wine tastes like a pear with a little effervescence. Would go well with the Veal Alyssa from Mr. John's playing nicely with the saltiness of the capers and the tang of the lemon beurre blanc.

Joe the Wine Guy: 93% Pinot Grigio and 7% Chardonnay make up this 2009 Stellina di Notte Pinot Grigio. This is a gorgeous fresh, dry white wine with fragrant floral, fruit, and spice aromas. The silky flavors are filled with pear, kiwi, melon, honey, and spice notes that culminate in a lemony finish. This Pinot Grigio makes the perfect aperitivo and pairs well with light, fresh salads and seafoods. The wine retails for $12.99 and you can find it on the wine list at Byblos and Cafe Amelie.


Editor's Note: When we saw the price of this wine, it became clear of all the wines tasted in this series, this may be the best value we have run across. Thanksgiving is coming; stock up for Aunt Gertrude. 

Winesday

Peter: I taste a classic California Chardonnay - buttered popcorn wrapped in new oak. This wine needs something with some pepper, maybe BBQ shrimp from Pascal's Manale. Actually, I think the seafood pan roast from Manale's would be better. Or oysters Rockefeller from Galatoire's.

Rene: This is a heavy white wine with just a little bit of citrus back there. For heavy whites like this, I always think of spaghetti in a cream sauce. My favorite of those dishes, which actually shouldn't have any cream in it, is spaghetti carbonara. They do a pretty great version of that A Mano. Or you know what this wouldn't be bad with, crawfish Monica. But Jazz Fest is over.

Joe the Wine Guy: The 2009 Newton Chardonnay is "blend" of chardonnay grapes sourced exclusively from Napa (42%) and Sonoma (58%) valley plots. White nectarine, vanilla spice, baked apple, and caramel are the predominant aromas. On the palate, there is ripe melon and fresh pineapple which persist through a velvety mouthfeel and a lingering citrus finish. Serve it with baked halibut, roasted chicken, or pecan pie. It retails for $20 and you can find it at Hotel Monteleone, Monkey Hill, Wine Seller, and Byblos.

Winesday

Rene: Bright, fresh wine which tastes like biting into a melon with a little bit of citrus as well. This wine could go with a lot of dishes, but ceviche from a place like Rio Mar, a Soft Shell Crab Po Boy from The Galley, or the Shredded Pork Szechuan Style from Jung's Golden Dragon would all be contenders. 

 

Peter: Not my favorite wine, but I'm sure it has its place. Pretty dry. Not much fizz or effervescence on the tongue. Thinking a dish with lots of spice to compliment. Panang Curry with duck from Sukho Thai or maybe deep fat fried hogshead cheese from Cochon.

Joe the Wine Guy: 2009 San Telmo Torrontes from the Mendoza appellation in Argentina. This wine begins with delightful floral and orange peel notes which gives way to crisp orange, grapefruit and tropical fruit flavors and just a touch of jasmine. Pair this wine with lighter fare like smoked trout appetizers, seafood salads, and grilled white fish or chicken breasts. You can find this wine at Byblos, Tomasitos, and Dorignac's, where it retails for $10.

Byblos

Lebanese (or perhaps more appropriately "Mediterranean") cuisine was my original ethnic food fetish. Long before I discovered sushi or banh mi, I was scarfing down falafel and dolma on weekly trips to Mona's on Banks Street. Back then we ate at Mona's and only Mona's - my little brother refused to go anywhere else for gyro. Today I don't eat much Lebanese because The Folk Singer is not much of a fan of the cuisine in general. However, a few weeks back I was all by lonesome and thus able to stop in at Byblos on Metairie Road for lunch.

Perhaps my frame of reference is skewed because of my long established loyalty to Mona's, but to me the "standard" dishes at Byblos are different from what I am accustomed to. Seeing as I have never been to the Mideast, I can't really say whether one restaurant's food is more authentic than the other. All I can do is describe the flavors as best I can, and let you decide which you prefer.

But before we get to the food, a quick word about the ambiance and prices. Byblos is probably the "nicest" Lebanese restaurant in the city, with white table cloths and a sleek interior design at every location. With this in mind, it's not surprising to hear that the prices are a tad higher than you would expect.

Hummus and baba ghanoush may be the mainstream favorites, but labneh was always been my go-to dip at any Lebanese restaurant. Most are tangy with the predominant flavor of yogurt; but Byblos', on the other hand, had more of the flavor and texture of cream cheese. It was not exactly sweet, but definitely lacking the sour twang that I was looking for.

What does one do when he cannot decide between chicken and beef? Get the combination plate, of course. Both shawarmas were abundant with flavor from an assertive marinade, but they differed in texture. The chicken was quite tender, while the beef was pleasantly chewy. Neither had a crusty exterior like the thinly sliced gyro meat you may be used to. In fact, gyro is not offered at Byblos at all.

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The combination plate comes with your choice of 2 of the following: hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, or rice. (I noticed that it says differently in the online menu, so maybe this is a recent change.) While I appreciate the right to choose, I surprisingly found myself missing the feta cheese salad which is customary almost everywhere else. Regardless, both the hummus and baba ghanoush that I had were some of the better local examples of those dips.

Byblos - Par.