Qariah Lebanese Restaurant and Lounge, Dallas

When it comes down to it, the owners of Qariah Lebanese Restaurant and Lounge started their business because they missed the flavors of home. “I have been to a lot of Lebanese restaurants and have never found the food to taste like it used to back home in Lebanon,” the manager says. To recreate those flavors, the chefs first start with the right kind of flame. They use charcoal-fueled fires to roast spitted halal meats and crank up the heat in traditional brick ovens, baking savory cheese, vegetable, or meat pies. Beyond the smoky aroma cast from the kitchen, patrons can enrich the air with hookah-borne combinations of fruit scents and spices.

The BYOB restaurant further transports senses over the sea with live music on Sundays. On Fridays, a violinist sets up on the windproofed patio, where guests can enjoy their meal and the music at individually heated tables, much like being trapped in a terrarium with Antonio Vivaldi. The pet-friendly outdoor patio boasts lounge chairs and couches, as well as a TV showing sports.