Mid East Tacos, from Mini Kabob's Armen Martirosyan, opens in Silver Lake this week

Middle Eastern Tacos

A popular pop-up from one of Los Angeles' most notable Middle Eastern chef-restaurateurs returns this week as a permanent restaurant in Silver Lake, with new items and ambitions for even more to come. But Mid East Tacos started as an off-menu burrito in Glendale.

Armen Martirosyan started playing with a lavash-wrapped burrito in 2016 at Mini Kabob, his family's Armenian restaurant and Awarded by the LA Times 101 List. Back then he filled his Ali Baba burrito with kebabs, tabbouleh, potatoes and other products from the restaurant. As he gained traction among regular customers and the local press, he began incubating a new concept for tacos and burritos. that would combine Armenian and Mexican flavors.: Kebab meats marinated for 24 to 48 hours, falafel tacos made with your grandmother's falafel recipe, and sauces that are prepared daily, such as a pico de gallo variant made essentially with freshly roasted vegetables from Mini Kabob, or a toum with chile de arbol infusion.

“For me, it was very important to make sure that we represented Mexican culture very well and Middle Eastern Armenian culture very well,” said Martirosyan, who looked to some of his culinary idols for guidance, including Guerrilla Tacos founder Wes Avila.

Aram Kavoukjian, a long-time Mini Kabob customer, gradually became friends with Martirosyan, frequently ordering food while helping out at his own family business just a block and a half away. The duo teamed up to bring the culturally blending burrito and add-on items to the masses, launching Mid East Tacos as a weekly stand at Smorgasburg Los Angeles in 2017 with steak kebab, chicken and falafel packed into burritos or lavash tacos made with tortillas. freshly pressed corn. . They expanded to catering events and a residency in a parking lot in Highland Park, until the pandemic and a theft of about $20,000 from their equipment shut down the operation. But what could have meant the end of Mid East Tacos only emboldened the founders.

“We thought, 'You know what? It's a sign that we're not going to give up; we need a location,'” said Kavoukjian, who helps direct operations. “We didn't give up at all. We have worked with our parents and our parents came to this country with absolutely nothing in their pockets. We've watched them work every day for over 30 years and obviously there have been many hiccups along the way. That never stopped them from doing it, so why would it stop us?

The couple says the transition from Mid East Tacos' pop-up format to the brick-and-mortar format required a lot of changes.

They toured and signed a lease on the former 500-square-foot building. Mh Zh corner restaurant space in Silver Lake, and decided to keep their business casual with a takeout format (although there are some sidewalk tables available for dine-in). Obtaining new permits, cleaning and modernizing the space took years, while the menu also underwent changes in that time: Some items that worked well at Smorgasburg wouldn't hold up as well in an era of now-ubiquitous delivery apps. They ditched the lavash burrito wrappers for large flour tortillas from Mejorado (a company spun out of Burritos La Palma), and also switched to the brand for their flour and corn tortilla tacos. They've added fan-favorite Mini Kabob chips sprinkled with Aleppo pepper, as well as new items like quesadillas, chips and guacamole, and shrimp as a filling option.

Preparing for the brick-and-mortar location with a focus on takeout orders, the team at Mid East Tacos updated some of their recipes from 2017. They're now opting for Mejorado flour tortillas, which maintain the structural integrity of the burritos longer.

(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

A new teal mural dotted with colorful, intricate symbols, many of which were inspired by khachkar, or traditional Armenian tombstones, is now in place and recalls the patterns of Aztec symbology, an intentional blend of cultures to reflect the cuisine of the inside.

Breakfast tacos and burritos, along with earlier service hours, are planned for late 2024, and Martirosyan and Kavoukjian are already set to expand the business. They envision five to 10 Mid East Tacos locations, perhaps a few international outposts, and the possibility of retailing their homemade sauces. For now, Mid East Tacos is open daily in Silver Lake from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

3536 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 800-8226, mideasttacos.com

Lustig

He long awaited Bernhard Mairinger's restaurant (formerly of BierBeisl and Patina Group) is now open in Culver City's Helms Bakery District with a mix of global cuisines, an Austrian underpinning underpinning it all. There's beef sausage escalope with cranberries and yuzu chutney; Chicken liver profiteroles with dark chocolate and Riesling; airplane-style chicken with asparagus aglio e olio and lemon juice and tarragon; raclette flatbread; hamachi with green apple, mustard and pickled wasabi; Steak tartare inspired by paprika; and, for dessert, options such as apple strudel cigars. The cheeky menu even offers an option to send ketchup to neighboring (and famously anti-ketchup) Father's Office, priced at market rate, while equally fun cocktails include riffs on glühwein and espresso martinis. It is planned to extend the hours of brunch and lunch service. For now, Lustig is open Tuesday to Thursday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight.

3273 Helms Ave., Culver City, (424) 501-2005, lustig-la.com

Mars, a Hollywood cocktail bar located in the back of the Citizen News Building, serves classic-minded cocktails, like a martini tinted with seasoned olive oil or a version of a banana daiquiri with banana foam.

(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

Mars

A new, almost hidden bar and cocktail lounge is open in Hollywood. To find Mars, follow a black-and-white checkered hallway through an alcove in Hollywood's historic Citizen News building and around the corner. Patio seating leads to a bar serving classic-style cocktails with a program conceptualized by Steve LaFountain (Horses): dirty martinis feature a splash of seasoned olive oil, spritzes use botanical limoncello, Manhattans include Cynar and saline solution, and the Apollo, a riff on the banana daiquiri, is topped with banana foam. Mars is the latest project from Giancarlo Pagani of Pagani Hospitality (formerly of SBE Group and Ten Five Hospitality) and also offers bottle service, an indoor lounge with live entertainment and a membership program that includes liquor lockers, priority booking and events for members only. Mars is open Thursday through Saturday from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

1545 Wilcox Ave., Los Angeles, marshollywood.com

prima donna

Wood-fired Italian restaurant Prima Donna recently moved into the former Etta space in Culver City, bringing chef Michael Santoro's brand of pizza, homemade pasta, brunch and all-day dining to the Shay Hotel. The former Beverly Hills Hotel chef, now culinary director of Mosaic Hospitality Group, also behind Prima Donna, serves dry-aged orata with tomato vinaigrette; black truffle cavatelli with grilled mushrooms; rack of lamb with Sardinian sauces; and fried olives stuffed with Calabrian sausage. For breakfast and brunch, opt for the lemon ricotta pancakes; bologna and fried egg sandwiches, smoked salmon pizzas and more. Cocktails reinvent Italian and global classics such as spritzes, negronis and palomas, while the extensive wine list is sourced primarily from Italy and California. Prima Donna is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m.

8801 Washington Blvd., Culver City, (209) 364-7543, whataprimadonna.com

The Arroyo Club

This month, the owners of Highland Park neighborhood restaurant Birdie transformed the space into a cheerful, plant-filled cocktail lounge. Alejandro Santana, formerly of Birdie, spearheads Arroyo Club's beverage program with cocktails, non-alcoholic options, wine and beer; cocktails include tequila washed with cinnamon rice, cold brew, amaro and chocolate; ginger-infused vodka with blood orange, Campari, grapefruit and bitters; and mezcal with tomatillo, Cointreau, cilantro and lime. A red neon-lit burger window called Hotline serves single and double burgers, also available with Impossible patties, as well as grilled cheese sandwiches, fries and tater tots. The Arroyo Club is open Wednesday through Sunday from 6 pm to midnight.

5631 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, thearroyoclub.com

Koreatown restaurant Jilli, from the team behind Chimmelier, serves modern Korean pub food, like nurungji chicken served as a kind of risotto, with a variety of soju, makgeolli, yoju, beer and wine.

(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

Jilly

A restaurant from the team behind fried chicken shop Chimmelier and Hanchic just debuted in Koreatown, drawing crowds for shareable modern Korean dishes meant to accompany a menu of soju, beer, locally-made makgeolli, wine and more. Jilli, which translates to “the way, the truth,” is now open in the former Kinn space. which closed at the end of 2023 and was co-owned by the same restaurant group. At the new version of the establishment, owners Dustin Dong Kyuk Lee, Jeff Jun and Kevin Son serve familiar dishes like Hanchic shrimp tostadas or Chimmelier chicken wings, plus new dishes like rigatoni in kimchi vodka sauce and perilla bruschetta and kimchi. burrata toast, short rib twigim and a nurungji chicken risotto-style version. In the future, the team hopes to open daytime service with a Chimmelier menu. Jilli is open Wednesday through Sunday from 6 to 11 p.m.

3905 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, 213-291-0888, instagram.com/jilli.la

ISM Brewery

There's a new brewery in Long Beach serving a variety of drafts, bottles, growlers and cans along with tri-tip mac and cheese, green apple aguachile, salmon fish and chips, coconut French toast and beer stew sandwiches . ISM Brewery is led by owner and brewmaster Ian McCall, formerly of Riip Beer Co. of Huntington Beach and Beachwood of Long Beach. He's brewing nearly 20 beers on-site, including IPAs, blondes, pilsners, stouts, Mexican lagers and reds, while executive chef Alfonso “Fonzzy” De Zuñiga runs the kitchen. Beers and ciders from other California brewers, such as San Diego's Pure Project Brewing and Los Olivos' Dreamcôte Wine Co., are available, as are events like trivia nights and live performances. The ISM Brewery is open Sunday to Thursday from 11am to 10pm and Friday and Saturday from 11am to midnight.

210 E. 3rd St., Unit A, Long Beach, (562) 436-0497, ism.beer