Authentic Mediterranean Cuisine in Marina del Rey

Previously, I had written about a nice little eatery right on the beach in Venice, CA called Figtree's Cafe. There is no particular reason why I was back in this neighborhood, it just happened that my wife and I decided to take the kids for another Sunday afternoon stroll on the ocean walk. This also afforded me yet another opportunity to check out one of the many restaurants in the area.

My wife and I really enjoy Mediterranean food. Whether it is Greek, Lebanese, or any of the other cuisines of that region, we always find the food to be full of flavor while still being healthy. This is the case at Gaby's Mediterranean Restaurant by the Venice Beach Pier where one can get real authentic Lebanese food at very affordable prices.

After being seated by the friendly wait staff, we proceeded to scan the menu. There is really something for everyone, every budget, every appetite. We decided on a few different pita wrap sandwiches, but not before starting off with warm pita bread and tabbouli. If you don't know what tabbouli is, then make it a point to try this wonderful salad that is quintessential to this region of the world. Tabbouli is chopped Italian parsley, diced tomatoes, onions and bulgur wheat tossed with lemon and olive oil. I have had tabbouli a number of times in my life. This was perfect. In other instances, the tabbouli had too much of one of the ingredients. Here, it was very well balanced.

The pita wraps arrived shortly after and were perfect to share with the kids. We got a very basic chicken kabob as well as Maanik. Maanik is spicy homemade lamb sausage that is wrapped in the pita with just a little lettuce, tomato and hummus. While the chicken kabob was truly excellent, the maanik really made it for me. The sausage has this very unique "cinnamony" flavor with a dryer texture but them backed up with the other spices and the creaminess that comes from the hummus. All the flavors worked really well together. In addition, the portion sizes were very reasonable especially considering the price ($6.50 for the kabaob and $7.00 for the maanik). Each pita came with a side of either rice, salad or fries. I am not one for fries, but they are a hit with the kids. In this case, they were a hit with me too. They use a really nice seasoning and cook them with a little extra crunch. Just like I like fries.

It is important to note one other thing. The restaurant is pretty well maintained and clean. I point this out because Venice is not known as a beacon of light as far as cleanliness goes. When I go to Venice, I expect plenty of grime, funk and foul aromas. So to come into a restaurant that is already in an older building and find it in good shape (even the bathroom was clean and smelling nice), that alone was a huge selling point to me. The aforementioned weight staff also made the experience one worth coming back for a second meal. One side note, though. If you are coming with children who need high chairs, they only have one. Thankfully we got the only high chair before the other toddler arrived. It might be good if Gaby's made a small investment toward a few more high chairs. Nonetheless, Gaby's will be at the top of the list should my wife or myself be Jonesin' for some authentic Mediterranean food.

Gaby's Mediterranean can be found at the following locations:

Gaby's by the Sea
Marina del Rey/Venice Beach Pier
20 Washington Blvd.
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 821-9721

The Original Gaby's
West Los Angeles
10445 Venice Blvd.
(Between Motor and Overland)
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 559-1808

Gaby's Express
Marina del Rey
3216 Washington Blvd.
(Corner of Lincoln)
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 823-7299

It is what it is!