Bites Nearby: Gaby's Mediterranean Restaurant

Located on Venice Boulevard, east of Overland Avenue, Gaby’s Mediterranean Restaurant is a great place for lunch, dinner or late night dining (it's open until 1 a.m. seven nights a week). You’ll find kebabs, falafel, grape leaves, Jordanian dips, Lebanese appetizers and plenty of vegetarian dishes.

The patio is large and takes up most of the restaurant space. Once seated, you'll receive a complimentary Jordanian dish of zataar (sesame seeds, olive oil, thyme and spices), topped with chopped tomato and onion and served with pita bread. Certain takeout orders (entrees of beef, chicken or vegetarian) receive complimentary hummus instead.

Begin your meal with a mezza (appetizer). Try the sambousik, a traditional Lebanese empanada stuffed with seasoned beef and pine nuts or the cheese arayis, grilled pita bread stuffed with mozzarella and feta. The arayis is like a quesadilla (appealing to kids) and can also be made with chicken and beef.

Manager Vahe Avakian says the meat is certified “halal,” which means that it is allowed under Islamic dietary restrictions. The meat comes from Australia, where a halal certified butcher prepares it specially.

According to Avakian, one of the most popular dishes on the menu is the lemon chicken, a skinless chicken breast sautéed in lemon juice and olive oil and topped with a light creamy sauce with herbs and spices. It happens to be his favorite dish as well.

Other popular entrees are the chicken kebab and beef shwarma, which come with rice and salad.

I ordered the vegetarian’s choice, a generous platter of hummus, baba ghannouj (roasted eggplant pureed with lemon juice, garlic and tahini), falafel, stuffed grape leaves and tabouleh salad with pita bread. I also always order the Bruce zaatar pizza, grilled pita bread topped with zaatar, feta cheese and chopped tomato. This unusual “pizza” is very light with a thin and crispy crust and a sprinkling of feta cheese. The zaatar takes the place of a pizza sauce and it can be addictive.

For dessert, the pistachio chocolate baklava looked tempting, made with layers of phyllo dough, nuts and orange blossom syrup, but I showed some self-restraint and didn’t indulge. You’ll have to let me know what it’s like.

Gaby’s Mediterranean Restaurant, 10445 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034, 310-559-1808

Hours:  Open 7 days a week – 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

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