"2"^^ . . "5"^^ . "2011-01-26T00:00:00"^^ . "4"^^ . . . "3"^^ . "Places like this are great because I feel like no matter how many people I tell about it, I know it'll never get overrun; it's just looks too plain to ever go supernova. Even though Kassab's doesn't promise much from the outside, or inside for that matter, it has some of the best food I've ever scooped, licked or scraped off a plate. \n\nBefore eating here I think I thought Lebanese food fell under the umbrella term \"Mediterranean\" for me, kind of like how El Salvadorian food was a synonym for \"Mexican\" before I ever ate a pupusa. Of course, I was totally wrong on both counts.\n\nMy first experience with Kibbeh (a Saturday-only special) went surprisingly well considering I had no idea what I was ordering and I received a large football-shaped pile of raw lamb. Kibbeh is ground lamb mixed with crushed wheat and sided with raw onions, pickled beets and pepperoncini. \n\nThis might still be sounding borderline gross so just let me say that the texture was a big part of the appeal of the dish and that anything you put on pita and top with hummus and pickled beets has to be pretty good. \n\nSpeaking of hummus and baba ganoush-they were both as smooth, creamy and luxurious as a glass of organic whole milk. There's something beautiful about making a perfect appetizer by pur\u00E9eing a few great ingredients together and serving them on warm bread. \nWarm dolmathes that were plump and slightly buttery in flavor made me feel like I'd never eaten one before, so if you've never had one make sure this is your first. If you have had one before, go here and get the nasty briny taste of the canned versions out of your mouth. \n\nThe sauce served with lamb skewers was mostly a thin tomato base with a light sweet hit of cinnamon swirling under the savory: drizzled over the rice and with a fat little piece of lamb made for a very satisfying bite.\n\nAnd BYOB seals the deal."^^ .