Review: Byblos, Millharbour

For those unfamiliar with Lebanese food, it follows the Mediterranean principles of rich meat, refreshing salads and a huge variety of dips.

Owner Aboud Grimesty, who has been in England for 20 years, has just opened the restaurant, which is already becoming popular with the Lebanese community in Canary Wharf.

The layout of the restaurant is perfect and gives a very relaxing feel. Coupled with views across the dock it is the ideal setting.

The menu has a wide selection of meats and fish to chose from, with clear descriptions to guide you through the Arabic (my Arabic is a little rusty).

Vegetarians are also well catered for, much to the delight of one of our group of three.

We had a fantastic mix of starters, including the usual falafels, salads, and dips including hummus.

The pick of the mixed starters for me were the sausages and a muhamara, a delicious pepper dip.

For the mains we had a mixed grill for two (£12.95) – or meshukal meshwi if that’s what you prefer to call it.

It included fantastic selection of tasty meats including chicken breasts, lamb patties and, my favourite, lamb chops. It was accompanied by even more succulent dips and more fresh salad than you can eat.

Meanwhile, the veggie had a veggi gourmet (£10.50), which included pan-fried aubergines with tomato, white onion, chickpeas and sweet pepper, all served with rice.

All this was accompanied with Aboud’s perfectly recommended wine, a Chateau Ksara at £30. This fruity wine from Lebanon goes down far too well and gets top marks.

The large quantities of fine food left us absolutely stuffed but with time on our side we tackled a lovely selection of desserts.

I went for the Baklawa at £4, a big favourite in the Middle East.

A sweet pastry with nuts and syrup it was a great ending to a very good meal.

An espresso each later and we were back on the road, far better for having encountered Byblos.

Byblos, 41 Millharbour, 020 7538 4882