Photo by Joe Philipson
THE OLD SCHOOL
HEALTHY
ASIAN
INFO
By Tara de Lis
For dineLA.com
Wraps may be the perfect snack. They’re easy to eat, whether at a sit-down dinner or out on the go. In a multicultural metropolis like L.A., there’s a great variety available, from Middle Eastern gyros and shish kabobs to diet wraps and even traditional Chinese mu-shu ‘pork in a hat.’
Momed Duck Shawarma | Photo: Tara de Lis
MOMEDWhen Momed opened in 2010, it quickly gained acclaim for its now signature dish of duck “shawarma.” For a city long-spoiled by many authentic and dirt-cheap versions, it was hard to believe people were willing to fork over $14—that is until one bite suddenly justified a new level of luxury. More intriguing, each subsequent taste is subtly different, from savory chunks of the rich bird and mouthwatering garlic sauce to a surprising sweetness from the fig confit spread and bursts of oven-dried tomatoes.
According to owner Alex Sarkissian, the dish certainly conforms to Momed’s “modern Med” philosophy. He says, “That’s what [we’re] about—twists on flavor and form, the way food is presented and eaten.”
- 233 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310.270.4444, www.atmomed.com
CLEO
Cleo’s chef Danny Elmaeh has struck similar gold with his upscale lamb shawarma. Here, the wonderfully gamey meat spills out of a sturdy but soft homemade laffa, further elevated by a trio of rich carmelized onions, spicy harissa and cooling labneh. For a small plate, it’s quite filling.
- 1717 Vine St., Hollywood, 323.962.1711, www.cleorestaurant.com
MEZZE
At Mezze, the food is described as Middle Eastern meets Eastern Mediterranean. The lamb shawarma consists of leg meat marinated in yogurt, garlic and spices, then cooked sous vide for 15 hours. It’s then plated in two mini pita pockets and topped with house-made pickles.
- 401 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.657.4103, mezzela.com
STREET
Susan Feniger’s Street has become synonymous with upscale versions of street food from around the world. Her take on the falafel sandwich—made from irresistible mix of homemade fritters, tahini, crisp eggplant, pickled radish and other fresh vegetables—was actually inspired by time spent on an Israeli Kibbutz as a teenager.
“I had no money, basically worked all day picking apples and pears ... My three close friends [and I] all decided to go camping on the beaches at the end of our stay … For those two weeks we ate on the street, literally, making friends with the cart vendors, hanging out with them, we had all these delicious tastes … chickpeas done a million ways, falafels … and for sure helped shaped my love of street food," Feniger recalled.
- 742 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, 323.203.0500, www.eatatstreet.com/flash.html
The Curious Palate Short Rib Wrap | Photo: Tara de Lis
THE CURIOUS PALATELocated inside The Market at Santa Monica Place, The Curious Palate is an offshoot of the Mar Vista original. An entire section of the lunch menu is dedicated to ‘handhelds;’ one of the most popular is the miso short rib wrap. Braised in a red miso base, along with sake, soy, ginger, garlic and lemongrass, it’s an overnight process to help ensure tenderness.
- 395 Santa Monica Pl., Santa Monica, 310.395.2901, www.thecuriouspalate.com
ZANKOU CHICKEN
Zankou Chicken can trace its roots back to Beirut in 1962, but it wasn’t until a few years later that the now infamous garlic sauce made it onto the menu. Some would say it’s more of a paste than a sauce, and it can be found generously slathered onto the marinated, spit-roasted chicken ‘tarna’ wraps—itself a menu late-comer. The recipe has remained much the same since the 60s, though differences in the ingredients between Lebanon and the U.S. have changed it a bit.
Director of marketing and son of the original founder, Dikran Iskenderian says, “The exact recipe is a secret, but the essence of taste and what makes it so strong and so good for you is because it’s made fresh every day from raw garlic.” Though there’s now Zankous all over the city, the Pasadena location is sauce-central—the kitchen there prepares the garlic for most of the others.
- 1296 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626.405.1502, www.zankouchicken.com
FALAFEL ARAX
Just down the street, Falafel Arax also serves a variety of meats—from standard chicken and beef to the more atypical tongue—but there’s a reason falafel is in the name. It’s darn good, and usually freshly fried to order. Along with a generous helping of iceberg lettuce and chopped tomatoes, the huge garbanzo balls are doused with tahini and stuffed into a pita.
- 5101 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.663.9687
HY MART
Hy Mart, also known as "Papa George’s" after the family patriarch, is a mom and pop (and son)-run sandwich shop in North Hollywood. Beloved by locals, this is the kind of place where staff make small talk—and make it a point to remember their regulars’ orders. Vegetarians go crazy for the ‘shahkloot special,’ a fist-sized concoction of freshly chopped feta, falafel, olives, cucumbers, avocado, herbs and sauces. Carnivores can’t resist the ‘gyro gone wild,’ a funny name for the shahkloot topped off with shaved beef and lamb gyro meat. For an extra kick, order it spicy and they’ll add cayenne pepper.
- 4795 Vineland Ave., North Hollywood, 818.506.7264
PITA KITCHEN
Long lines are not uncommon at Pita Kitchen. Situated near the Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks border, this hole-in-the-wall eatery specializes in a combination of broiled lamb and beef gyro. It’s worth the extra buck to upgrade from pita bread to a homemade lavash. Spice lovers are well advised to request it with the special green sauce, a potent blend of jalapenos, peppers and other proprietary ingredients.
- 14500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 818.990.7006, www.thepitakitchen.com
SUNNIN
Sunnin started as a tiny diner-like eatery across the street from its now larger location. Nearly 20 years later, it’s more popular than ever, having moved into a much more hospitable setting, and even expanding to Belmont Shore. Here shawarma is also the star. Marinated chicken is broiled and sandwiched into a pita with lettuce and tomatoes, while garlic and tahini double team on the sauce.
- 1776 Westwood Blvd., Westwood, 310.475.3358, http://sunnin.com
OPEN SESAME
Open Sesame became so flooded with eager patrons that it had to open a second location literally just down the street, followed by a later one in Manhattan Beach. The success can be attributed to the high quality of food, with delicious dishes such as the ayares, a blend of ground beef and lamb thinly spread on a toasted pita with onions, tomatoes, parsley and sourberry.
- 5215 East 2nd St., Long Beach, 562.621.1698, www.opensesamegrill.com
MEZZA
Downtown Culver City’s cozy Mezza does a fantastic chicken tawook (marinated chicken breast) with its own signature garlicky good sauce, plus fresh vegetables. Best of all, sandwiches each come with two sides; highly recommended are the creamy hummus and zesty fatoush salad.
- 9901 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 310.202.7888, www.mezzamg.com
SPITZ
Started by two Occidental students, Spitz is the L.A. home of the doner kebab. One of the founders fell in love with the street food staple while studying abroad in Spain. Similar to shawarma and gyro meat, doner is Turkish in origin. Here the meats can be sandwiched between foccacia or in a grilled lavash. ‘Street cart’-style orders include fried lavash chips and garlic aioli.
- 2506 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, 323.257.5600, www.eatatspitz.com
CAROUSEL
Carousel has been a mainstay in Hollywood’s Hye Plaza since 1984, and remains a favorite for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine. Among an entire section of pita sandwiches, the lamb shish kebab stands out for its hearty cubes of meat mixed with a prevalent onion-parsley mix, plus tomatoes and other spices. For those who prefer a less saucy sandwich, this is a solid choice.
- 5112 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.660.8060, www.carouselrestaurant.com
SAHAGS
Sahags has long been a favorite for neighborhood families in search of authentic basturma, essentially Armenian prosciutto, though others compare it to pastrami. The taste is decidedly strong and salty—it’s not for everyone—but for people who enjoy extreme eating, this is a must-try. It can be ordered on its own, or thinly sliced and placed inside either a cold or hot flaky pita, along with tomatoes, pickles and peppers. Cheese lovers will appreciate it paired with relatively mild Halloumi.
- 5183 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.661.5311
M Cafe Salmon Salad Wrap | Photo: Tara de Lis
M CAFE DE CHAYAM Café de Chaya’s menu follows a strict macrobiotic diet—there’s no red meat, poultry or dairy. Fish, however, is allowed, and the wild salmon salad wrap (in a style similar to traditional tuna salad) is one of the highpoints. Done up with crisp, fresh asparagus, it also weaves in red onion and tangy lemon vinaigrette, making it a refreshing treat on for a hot summer day.
- 7119 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, 323.525.0588, mcafedechaya.com
FRESHII
Freshii is all about the D.I.Y.-approach—most everything on the menu can be customized to each customer’s preference. Tortilla types are set at honey wheat, but cheeses, produce, proteins and dressings are all interchangeable.
- 11740 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood, 310.826.5833, freshii.com/locations-brentwood.php
PURAN'S
The food philosophy at Puran’s is that of “cuisine naturalle,” meaning only low-calorie dishes with a focus on nutrient-rich foods, and no animal fats. For instance, pesto grilled chicken manages to marry baby spinach, roasted bell peppers and Basmati rice without any cheese.
- 2064 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz, 323.667.1357, www.puransrestaurant.com
POOL BAR & CAFE - BEVERLY WILSHIRE
A little hidden gem in Beverly Hills is the Pool Bar & Café at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, which is open to non-hotel guests. Here, a slightly saucy tandoori chicken and cucumber slices are wrapped inside a spinach tortilla. Note: raita is served on the side and may appear designated for the fries, but it’s intended to be used with the wrap. The dish also comes with a mixed green salad for a more complete meal.
- 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 90212, 310.275.5200, www.fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire
YUJEAN KANG'S
Chef/owner Yujean Kang’s eponymous eatery (pronounced “Eugene”) offers an incredibly clean, grease-and-MSG-free take on mu-shu pork “in a hat.” Presented tableside, the dish consists of sautéed pork, tofu, spinach, garlic, chives and glass noodles served with a Chinese crepe-like “pancake” on top. It’s then divided and rolled into individual wraps.
Kang says it was inspired by childhood memories of dining with his father in a restaurant serving northern Chinese regional specialties. “The Chinese name of the dish simply translates to ‘mix vegetables with pork,’ with the option of ‘wearing a hat’—an egg crepe. The waiter [would] always ask if you'd like it with a hat or without a hat. Being a northern dish, it is served with Chinese ‘pancakes’ and plum sauce and scallions, which is the same as for Peking duck.”
- 67 North Raymond Ave., Pasadena, 626.585.0855, www.yujeankangs.com
CALIFORNIA CHICKEN CAFE
California Chicken has long been a staple for healthy eaters, and there are no fewer than six chicken-centric wraps on the menu. For something a little different, try the Chinese wrap, which folds Chinese chicken into a foodie-favorite sandwich.
- 424 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, 310.392.3500, www.californiachickencafe.com
California Chicken Cafe, 424 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, 310.392.3500, www.californiachickencafe.com
Carousel, 5112 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.660.8060, www.carouselrestaurant.com
Cleo, 1717 Vine St., Hollywood, 323.962.1711, www.cleorestaurant.com
The Curious Palate, 395 Santa Monica Pl., Santa Monica, 310.395.2901, www.thecuriouspalate.com
Falafel Arax, 5101 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.663.9687
Freshii, 11740 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood, 310.826.5833, freshii.com/locations-brentwood.php
Hy Mart, 4795 Vineland Ave., North Hollywood, 818.506.7264
M Cafe de Chaya, 7119 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, 323.525.0588, www.mcafedechaya.com
Mezza, 9901 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 310.202.7888, www.mezzamg.com
Mezze, 401 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.657.4103, mezzela.com
Momed, 233 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310.270.4444, www.atmomed.com
Open Sesame, 5215 East 2nd St., Long Beach, 562.621.1698, www.opensesamegrill.com
Pita Kitchen, 14500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 818.990.7006, www.thepitakitchen.com
Pool Bar & Cafe, 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 90212, 310.275.5200, www.fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire
Puran's, 2064 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz, 323.667.1357, www.puransrestaurant.com
Sahags, 5183 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.661.5311
Spitz, 2506 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, 323.257.5600, www.eatatspitz.com
Street, 742 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, 323.203.0500, www.eatatstreet.com/flash.html
Sunnin, 1776 Westwood Blvd., Westwood, 310.475.3358, http://sunnin.com
Yujean Kang's, 67 North Raymond Ave., Pasadena, 626.585.0855, www.yujeankangs.com
Zankou Chicken, 1296 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626.405.1502, www.zankouchicken.com
