It's nice when the world comes to you for a change, especially when it’s in the form of food.That’s the mentality you’ll find at the Upper East Side’s L’ybane: a French wine bar that serves some seriously sumptuous Mediterranean cuisine.
Head chef Al Rineh explains that he’s all about distilling the finer tastes of French, Italian, Greek and Middle Eastern cooking for New York noshers, in line with his mixed heritage. “My parents, my grandparents are from Lebanon, but I was born in Nice, south of France,” he says, which is where he opened his first restaurant (also named L’ybane) at age 18. Variety is the key to L’ybane, so if that’s a priority in your dining, there are few better ways to sample the Mediterranean’s myriad flavors than the house specialty, the Imperial Assortment. For $40 per person, you get 14 dishes consisting of both hot and cold appetizers in what is an affordable, satisfying banquet.
In the restaurant’s relaxed setting (you don’t have to shout your way through the meal), the cold dishes provide an ideal beginning.There’s the goat cheese salad (two fluffy crumbed goat cheese balls), eggplant caviar, feta cheese salad (the dried mint mixed through the feta is the defining touch) as well beef and cheese pita dishes.The crowning glory though is the vegetarian moussaka, which combines aubergine, tomatoes and onion in a way that will delight even the most eggplantaverted among you. The garnishes also hit the spot: yogurt combined with two olive oils (one from Italy, one from North Africa) and cumin is an ideal dipper and the chick pea purée takes any obsession you may have with hummus to new levels. Rest assured that chef Rineh is looking after your arteries as well: none of the dishes use butter and all meat is grilled rather than fried.
The main meal combines three brochettes (skewered lamb, beef and chicken), each marinated for three days and served with a monument of scented rice and a salad of fresh carrots, tomato and zucchini. It’s delicious and serves as a fitting closer to the variety theme.
“The people love it,” beams Rineh, regarding Lybane’s signature dish and he’s all too willing to ensure his guests have the full multifaceted culinary experience as well. He’ll happily talk to you in French (never mind your competency) and his waiters are eager to recommend wines and outline the various preparation techniques.
A worldy feast? Look no further.
> L’ybane
1136 First Ave. (betw. 62nd & 63rd Sts.), 212-826-1111
