Note from Karen: For the menu and prices for Miami Spice 2023 for Byblos and others, click here.

As always, Byblos Miami Spice scored high marks again this year with a wonderful selection of top dishes from their Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, and good sized portions as well. They believe it’s a chance to introduce new clients to the restaurant by putting their best foot forward and it shows.  Byblos is named for the Lebanese city that was a crossroads of the Middle East and varied civilizations. So think Egypt, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Spain and Greece – its foods, wine and even teas.The cuisine is creative, with unique herbs and spices with names most of us never heard of, a truly different experience. And speaking about Miami Spice, check out the update to the post with 30 more restaurant offerings since I wrote the original post.

We sat in the upper level of two stories, a residential like ambiance with 17 foot high ceilings and fabric covered art panels of the Minoans. For dinner on Spice, each diner chooses two mezze, a main course, one side dish and a dessert. So if you’re two people, you get to have a mini banquet. We started with the to die for lamb ribs that were so tender with the right amount of spice and a hint of citrus.

We then moved  on to the roasted beets with house made labneh (a thick, creamy Middle Eastern style yogurt cheese), a creamed spinach pide (the Turkish pizza) and a Turkish kale salad. We decided we have to try to make the kale salad at home as it’s so healthy, colorful, and  tasty,  a winner — made with shaved brussel sprouts, fig, pear, toasted almonds, pomegranate and tulum cheese.

For the main course, we paid the upcharge of $25 for the slow roasted lamb shoulder. The lamb is brined overnight, rubbed with sumac, garlic and thyme and braised for 14 hours. It is served with house lavash flatbread and pickles, sumac and toum. You take a piece of the lavash, put some lamb in it, and a small amount of each garnish and you have a real treat (plus leftovers to take home). Mr. W opted for the grape leaf wrapped cobia complete with red shakshuka, cilantro, mint, labneh and felfel, another very original dish.

Next time we’d like to try the Baharat (a spice) crusted skirt steak with smoked eggplant puree, pine nut gremolata, za’atar butter and veal jus. For sides we opted for the roasted brussels sprouts with halloumi cheese and cauliflower, again a novel preparation with green tahini, za-atar, Persian feta and nigella.  Also sounding very appealing was the Persian kale rice and rock shrimp rice.

Dessert choices included stuffed baklava with a deep, dark chocolate ice cream, sorbet and a fried strawberry cheesecake.  Special beverage options are part of their Spice as well, such as a good selection of wines by the bottle for $45 including a fine Lebanese one and $12 cocktails. Service was very good, and its an attractive place to boot. Note that the noise level is energetic. Miami Spice dinner menu is offered Sunday through Thursday. Byblos, 1545 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach 33139 T.(786) 864-2990.  Valet parking is available at the Royal Palm Hotel ($16) or there’s a municipal garage across the street.

Here’s the entire list of over 200 restaurants now participating in Miami Spice! Click here.