Eat and Destroy

Several months ago, after reading about the lamb sausages ($16.99/lb) available at Yerevan Grocery in the Globe, PK and I decided that the next time we found ourselves near Arlington we would be coming home with a bag full of sausage. However, after several months had passed, we still had not made it to Yerevan. Then, when some friends invited us over for a Cook Your Own Food and Share Your Dinner with Everyone meal, we knew that we had no choice but to show up with the sausages.

When we walked in the door of Yerevan, the owner, Victor, greeted us and took us on a “tour” of his shop. The tour consisted of walking through the aisles, learning a little about some of the food, and being given an olive and a piece of cheese to sample. Victor is a great salesman since he convinced me to buy everything that he pointed out, but, luckily, PK reminded me that she had the cash and credit cards (and she was not letting me near them). We ended up at the counter with a pound of lamb sausage, a container of homemade hummus, a package of bread, a large piece of baklava, a variety of a few other sweets, and a package of homemade flat bread topped with feta and spinach. When Victor rang up the last item, we saw that it was $15. Although it looked good and was made by his uncle, we decided not to get it (and, in the past, we have had similar homemade breads from other stores for less than $5).

While I have had better hummus, the sausage, when cooked exactly as Victor instructed us, was amazing. The baklava and other sweets were all good, but none stood out.

Verdict: The sausages are fantastic! My main complaint about the place is that I wish all items were marked with a clear price since the cost of some items might come as a shock when Victor rings them up. (I have heard several stories from others and that is why I want to point this out.) So, my advice is that if you have something in your hand that does not have a price, find out how much it is before you go the counter.

Armenian, Lebanese, Uncategorized, arlington

On Saturday, PK and I met up with N & M. Our original plan was to go to the Brazilian Festival in Cambridge/Somerville, but since it was raining, we decided to head to Spring Blossom in order to discuss our dinner options over some delicious Polynesian drinks ($4.95/each). We decided to check out Byblos in Norwood based on N & M’s description of their Kibbee Naye (fresh raw minced lamb meat, puree with crushed wheat, onions and spices).

When we got there, we had to wait a bit, even though we had a reservation. The atmosphere was not much to speak of. It looked like a large banquet room with Greek style columns separating the main dining room from an additional row of tables. However, we were sure that the belly dancer, who was going to perform at 8:30, would bring more life to the restaurant.

We started off with a Kibbee Naye ($9.95), Falafel ($3.95), Hummus ($4.95), Artichoke ($5.95), and Makanek (beef & lamb sausage; $8.95). The Kibbee Naye was the table favorite, followed by the Makanek. Both their Hummus and Falafel were delicious. The Artichoke was good, but too soggy for my liking due to the dressing.

For the main course, we ordered a Lamb Kabob ($16.95), Rolled Cabbage (stuffed with ground beed, lemon, garlic, and mint; $13.95), and a Vegetarian Kibbee ($11.95). Everything that we ordered was delicious. I don’t know which dish was my favorite since they were all so different.
The only disappointment of the meal was that instead of having live music accompanying the belly dancer, there was a prerecorded CD. However, N & M assured us that there is normally live music.
Verdict: If you want to eat delicious Lebanese food while watching belly dancing, Byblos is well worth the trek out to Norwood.

Lebanese, Norwood

Over the weekend, PK and I took advantage of the hot weather by spending time in our backyard, breaking up the asphalt that the previous owners put down for some ridiculous reason. (Hopefully, by the end of the summer, we will have a garden and a patio.)

On our way back from Home Depot in Watertown (the only Home Depot in the area that rents tools) on Sunday, we stopped by Reef Cafe. We ordered a Spinach Pie ($1.50) which was bland and boring. PK ordered a Soujouk ($4.75) which was delicious, and I order a Lamb Kabob ($5.25) which was almost as tasty as the soujouk.

Verdict: I wish that Reef Cafe was closer to our house. Their food is always delicious (besides the Spinach Pie). The owner and his mom (the chef) are always very friendly. My only regret about this trip to Reef Cafe is that we did not order some of their amazingly strong coffee and their baklava, which, in my opinion, is the 2nd best that I have had in the Boston area.

Allston, Lebanese