Baba G Mediterranean

Byblos Cafe was a dependable spot for Lebanese-inspired Mediterranean food in Old Towne Orange for over 35 years – long enough for its original owners to retire and pass the business on to their son and a new business partner. In summer 2025, the restaurant rebranded as Baba G – a play on the popular pureed eggplant dip baba ghanoush – and updated the menu with a simple format and seed oil-free collection of recipes. Like the fast-casual chain Cava, Baba G focuses mostly on $18-$20 build-your-own bowls made with a base of rice, lettuce, half-rice/half-lettuce, or pita, your choice of 6 proteins (chicken breast, beef or chicken shawarma, cauliflower, falafel, or ground beef koobideh), four toppings, and two sauces. Three $14 salads, three entree-sized items ($16 feta fries, an $18 burger with fries, or a $17 crispy shawarma wrap), and a handful of $6-$7 side dishes are also available.

All of the items we tried on our first visit were winners – and sometimes for unexpected reasons. Baba G’s proteins are juicy and aggressively seasoned, such that bright yellow turmeric chicken breast slices and peppered koobideh pop even in a bowl loaded with veggies and dip. “Sweet baba ghanoush” ($7) is a nice-sized portion of atypically but lightly sweet eggplant dip, dusted with paprika and served with a dry pita, the only disappointment of our meal. Thankfully, the crispy shawarma wrap arrived loaded with tender chicken, pickles, onions, and garlic toum spread, plus a nice, double-cooked pita that helped us forget about the bland piece with the ghanoush.