Kismet Falafel-Closed

Kismet Falafel
317 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-357-2412

The last time I was at Grand Central Market, I went to a seafood place, Prawn.  I wasn't in the mood for something heavy, and found Kismet Falafel.  So I decided to give them a try.

They are located to the Hill entrance of Grand Central, and they are on the west side of the market.  They have a few seats at the counter, or you can find some tables that are spread around the market.

Classic falafel sandwich-$11. Tomato, tahini, cabbage, pickles, onion and basil.  This is stuffed with a ton of cabbage, pickles and onions.  Maybe two or three small sized falafel.  I would like to see more falafel-either bigger sized falafel, or another one inside the sandwich.  The falafel was fine.  Nothing special.  For what you get, it's a bit overpriced.

Service was good.

Kismet was ok. I won't return

Adana Restaurant

Adana Restaurant
6918 San Fernando Rd
Glendale, CA 91201
818-843-6237

As most people know LA Times food critic, Jonathan Gold, passed away on Saturday July 23, 2018.  I have been to a few restaurants in Gold's 2017 101 Best Restaurants in LA; Mariscos Jalisco, which started as a food truck and then opened a restaurant in Pomona, Langers, Howlin' Rays, Kogi, Parks BBQ, Jitlada, and Night + Market Song.  As a tribute to Jonathan Gold I picked a restaurant that I've never been to.  That's how I ended up at Adana. 

A few blocks north of Continental Gourmet Sausage is Adana.  This is an industrial area of Glendale and while the outside doesn't look like much, the inside is very elaborate!!  Nice crown molding, a couple murals, and nice warm colors.  The tables and chairs scream banquet facility.

When it comes to kebobs in Glendale, my two go to places are Raffi's and Shiraz.  Let's see how Adana compares.

Salmon kebob, $24, with Persian salad and hummus.  The salmon, which looked overcooked, was pretty good.  A decent sized piece of farm raised salmon that was moist and flavorful.  The rice was bland.  The portion, both the salmon and rice, weren't as large as Raffi's and Shiraz!  I liked the hummus, very smooth.  The persian salad was fresh with persian cucumbers, tomatoes, and lemon juice and olive oil dressing.

Service was ok.  There was only one person working, and he had about five tables total.  There were plenty of times I didn't seem him in the dining room.  He never asked how everything was.  But, then again he was busy.


After going to Adana, Raffi's and Shiraz are still my go to places.  Nothing bad about Adana, but I think both Raffi's and Shiraz are better!

Jasmine Mediterranean & Persian Cuisine

Jasmine Mediterranean & Persian Cuisine
21130 Golden Springs Dr
Walnut, CA 91789
909-594-3330

If this building looks familiar, it should, it used to be Ranch House, that lasted for a short time.  Jasmine has been open for about 2-3 years, and I finally made a trip.  One thing, stupid Yelp has this address in Walnut.  But, it is in Diamond Bar.  Walnut does not go south of Valley Blvd.

Jasmine is tastefully decorated, but interesting they do not have any signage as you enter the actual restaurant!   This a huge restaurant with their take out set up on the left side of the building as you enter, and the huge dining area to the right.

Salmon and shrimp combo, $16.99. Grilled salmon and shrimp with basmati rice, grilled peppers, tomatoes, and onions, and shrizit salad-cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes.

The salmon was a bit overcooked on the outside, but inside was amazingly moist!  It was fairly flavorful but it didn't burst with flavor.  The shrimp, four medium sized shrimp, was well cooked, slightly overdone.  The rice was great, lots of flavor.

Service was good.  It was surprisingly busy for a last lunch, with a good stream of people coming in. 

Since there aren't many good Mediterranean restaurants in the area, Jasmine is a welcomed addition.  But, it's not the best Mediterranean restaurant I've been to.  I won't rush back. 

Pita Jungle

Pita Jungle
4340 E Indian School Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85018
602-955-7482

Pita Jungle is a chain in the Phoenix area that was started by three Arizona St. students.  There is a Pita Jungle in Newport Beach, CA.  They are planning to expand to other California cities.

This Pita Jungle location is huge, with about 30 tables in the restaurant.  The shopping center is a busy center with a Pei Wei, Starbucks, and other eateries.

Black bean burger, $8.69-homemade black bean patty formed with chipotle, jalapeno and bell peppers, carrots, corn, oats, garlic, onions, cilantro, cranberries, on a bun with chipotle hummus, baby arugula, hothouse tomatoes, red onions, sunflower sprouts with a side of lemon-cilantro mixed beans.

This was a very good burger.  The first thing I noticed was this burger fell apart.  Now some people may think that is a bad thing, but making a black bean burger it is a good thing.  Why?  Because you know it is made fresh and not a pre-made frozen burger.  While the burger patty fell apart, it was very flavorful, bold flavors from the chipotle hummus.   I did think the burger needed some ketchup or even a thousand island dressing, but overall a very good burger.

Service was very good, despite being very busy that night.  The server was very nice and prompt.

I would go back to Pita Jungle anytime!  Hopefully they will open more locations in California!

Pizzita Circle

Pizzita Circle
4047 Grand Ave Ste E
Chino, CA 91710
909-590-0404

Much like Giuseppe's Pizza, Pizzita is a combination pizza and Middle Eastern place.  Pizzita is a fast casual restaurant, located in the very busy restaurant corner of the Wal Mart shopping center in Chino, with good size dining area with tasteful decor.

Veggie Pizza, $7.95. Mushrooms, spinach, green peppers, onion, olives.  Comes with broccoli but I asked for no broccoli.  The crust is just too crispy for me.  Some people may like it, but it's not my cup of team.  The sauce is a bit bland.  The toppings are, for the most part, plentiful, except it was hard finding any spinach on the pizza.  I wouldn't order the pizza again. 

Falafel-$3.  Loved the falafel!  This had lots of flavor and was fried perfectly.   This may also be the largest falafel I've had, huge!  Well worth the price.

Service is good and friendly.

While I didn't like the pizza, the falafel was great and I would go back for the falafel wrap or just another order of falafel.  I have heard the hummus, which comes in three or four flavors, is great!  I'll be ordering some hummus on my next trip!

U PiCK Cafe

U PiCK Cafe
720 N Lake Ave Ste 9
Pasadena
626-808-9802


U Pick Cafe is next door to The Slaw Dogs, a gourmet hot dog restaurant that I reviewed back in 2010.  Looking at the picture of The Slaw Dogs, I saw that the restaurant next door was called Grand Chicken, and they also served kebobs, sandwiches and pizza.  So, I don't know if U Pick Cafe is owned by the same owners of Grand Chicken or if they are new owners.

Chicken breast kebob; $8.99 with basmati rice and salad.  The menu says a choice of two sides with options like falafel, regular salad, basmati rice, and tabouli salad.  They didn't ask what choices I wanted, but after reading the menu, I asked for rice and regular salad.  They told me if customers do not specify, they will get rice and salad.

The chicken was a bit charred and tough on the outside, but surprisingly moist, tender and flavorful on the inside.  The portion size is a bit small for the price, but overall I thought the chicken was good.

The basmati rice was undercooked and not fragrant or fluffy as other basmati rice I've had.  The salad is fine, with fresh lettuce and a tangy dressing.

Small cheese pizza, $4.99.  I just had to try the pizza.  The pizza is comparable to the large chain pizza, with a slightly better crust. They need to work on the sauce, which was pretty bland.

Service was pretty good.  They should ask what sides I wanted instead of just assuming rice and salad.  Looking back I should have gotten the falafel instead of the salad.  But, they were friendly and helpful.  They seem to care that all customers enjoy the food and their dining experience at U Pick Cafe.

I wouldn't go back to U Pick for the pizza, but I did like the chicken kebob.  Maybe I'll just order a couple kebobs. 

Corner BBQ-Closed

Corner BBQ
3740 San Fernando Rd
Glendale
818-547-5555

When I first passed by Corner BBQ, I was surprised to see a BBQ restaurant open in Glendale.  When I walked up to Corner BBQ, I saw their picture menu and saw kebobs!  I'll admit I was a bit disappointed because I wanted BBQ.  But, I like kebobs and figured I was already there and figured I should give them a try.

Corner BBQ is a more casual, counter service restaurant.  They are comparable to Mediterranean Delight  or Kebab Way, two other casual, counter service kebobs restaurants that I've reviewed.  It's a fairly small location with a few tables inside and about four outside.  It's a west facing restaurant, so if you go in the summer during the later afternoon, it is hot and the sun is just beating down on you.

Chicken breast, $8.99, with salad and pita bread.  The rice is just plain white rice, no seasoning, nothing.  The chicken breast was a bit dry and chewy.  I wasn't impressed.  The portion size is generous for the price.

The salad was great!  Fresh veggies topped by a tangy white dressing.  I also loved their garlic sauce, which was heavy on the garlic, which is fine with me!

Falafel- 99 cents each.  A very interesting shaped falafel, more like a veggie patty than any falafel I've had.  I also saw him pan fry the falafel and not deep fried like I've seen most restaurant do.  But, a wonderful crust and flavor.  A bit spicy but not overpowering.  The quality of the falafel combined with the generous amount, makes this a steal!!

Service was good.  I assume the man who took my order is the owner and he was very nice and friendly.

I don't think I'll be coming back for the kebobs at Corner BBQ.  But, this maybe the best falafel I've had.

Mediterranean Delight

Mediterranean Delight
126 S Brand Blvd
Glendale
818-543-3272

Glendale is filled with Middle Eastern restaurants; Counter service restaurants like, Kebab Way, and full service restaurants like Shiraz, Raffi's Place, Carousel, and Elena's.  So, when I was in Glendale recently, I wanted to try a new middle eastern restaurant.  I went online and found Mediterranean Delight, which was much easier to find than the actual restaurant.

Mediterranean Delight is a small counter service restaurant.  There are a few tables inside, along with some outdoor seating.   Mediterranean Delight is located in a walk way, so you do no see their sign when you're on Brand Blvd.  The restaurant across from Mediterranean Delight is Vegas Seafood Buffet, that was packed, I may have to pay them a visit.

Chicken breast dinner plate, $8.70 with rice, salad, hummus, pita bread, and tomato.  The chicken was moist, juicy and flavorful!  The portion size was very generous, especially for the low price.  The rice was fluffy and cooked perfectly.  The salad was bagged salad with a tangy vinaigrette dressing.  The hummus was very smooth, but a bit bland I prefer hummus with more garlic.  But, overall a damn good chicken breast kebob.  Well worth the price. 

Four falafel al carte, $2.  This is among the best falafel that I have ever had!!  Crunchy on the outside, with a moist flavorful inside.  Just wonderful and you can tell they made this fresh!!

Service was very good.  We were greeted when we entered and the server was very nice and helpful.

Mediterranean Delight blows away the other counter service Middle Eastern restaurant, Kebab Way, that I've tried in Glendale.  And comes very close to Shirazz and Raffi's place in terms of quality, even though both of those places are full service restaurants.  I would go back to Mediterranean Delight anytime!!  What a wonderful discovery.  

Olive Pit Mediterranean Grill

Olive Pit Mediterranean Grill 

2445 E Imperial Hwy
Brea

714-529-3200

A friend raved about Olive Pit Mediterranean Grill and I wanted to see what this place was all about.  It's located in a very busy Wal-Mart shopping center in Brea and they do a great business for lunch; the place was packed when I went there.  You place your order at the counter and they bring your food to your table.  The menu leans toward Greek cuisine. 

Their wraps are all the same price, no matter what protein you get.  I got Chicken breast wrap, $9.54.  whole wheat flat bread, lettuce, marinated tomatoes, feta, rice, pickled red onions, tzatziki sauce and a choice of one side, I got hummus.  Honestly, the wrap was very average and very overpriced.  The ingredients were fresh, but there was a very small amount of chicken.  The chicken was fine but nothing special and certainly not worth the price.  I could go to many other places and get the same wrap for $3 less.

Service is pretty good.  The young lady who took my order was nice and friendly.  While waiting for my food I asked one of the runners what the menu item was, that he was taking to a table.  It looked very good; it was a build your own entree with .  He was nice and helpful too.

I know some people, like my friend, love Olive Pit, but then again some people have no taste, but what can you expect she is an Angels' fans!!  Sorry, I won't return to eat at Olive Pit again, unless my friend is buying since I won the wager.  I said the Angels won't win the AL West Division in 2012 and of course I was right!!  But, knowing my friend she'll take me for the $1 menu at a fast food restaurant.

Cafe Ravo-Closed

Cafe Ravo
2662 Griffith Park Blvd
Los Angeles
323-912-1111

Good Friday! I thought about going for sushi, but then I passed by Cafe Ravo and decided to get some falafel instead! Cafe Ravo is located in Silver Lake, not that far from Tomato Pie Pizza Joint. Cafe Ravo used to be called Cafe Bravo but changed it's name recently to Cafe Ravo. Maybe the electrical on the B went out and they didn't want to fix it?

Cafe Ravo is a small counter service restaurant, with about six tables. Even near closing time, 9pm, about half the tables were still filled.



I got the falafel plate, $7.34, with a garden salad, tabouli salad, hummus, and pita bread. I really like the spice mix and texture of the falafel. It had bold flavors and a crispy outside. But they were small and there was only four pieces.

The regular salad, had all fresh ingredients-chopped romaine lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes with an olive oil dressing.

I'm really not a fan of tabouli salad but this tabouli was very good. Fresh parsley and barley or whatever kind of wheat they used was perfectly blended and seasoned.

Service was pretty good. The lady who took my order was nice enough, though she could have explained they were closing in about 20 minutes, instead of asking will this be to go? She wasn't rude about it, but there are better ways to say things.

While I did enjoy the food, I thought the prices were a bit high for the amount of food I got. Four small pieces of falafel and some salads for $7.34?? I would have been better off just order falafel al carte!! No need for me to come back to Cafe Ravo.

Fattoush Mediterranean Cuisine-Closed

Fattoush Mediterranean Cuisine
428 Auto Center Dr
Claremont
909-625-1800

About two months ago I read David Allen's review of Fattoush, and I quickly put them on my list of places to try.

Fattoush is located in what once used to be a car dealership, but has now turned into shopping center that is anchored by a very busy market called Super King. I'm not sure if Super King is a Mexican or Middle Eastern market, they carry everything from Mexican sweet bread to hummus and pita bread.



Chicken kebob entree, $12.59, rice, garlic sauce, and fattoush salad-romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, parlsey, sumac, and pita chips croutons with lemon olive oil dressing.

I really liked the chicken kebob, all white meat, it was well seasoned with Middle Eastern spices and a hint of lemon juice. They were well cooked, moist and tender. I thought the portion size was a bit small for the prize, but otherwise a good chicken kebob. The rice was cooked perfectly!!

The salad was very fresh and tasty. I did enjoy the the lemon olive oil dressing.

Service is good and friendly, but the set up is confusing. You're not sure if it's table service or order at the counter and you find a table. When I walked in, the owner was behind the counter and taking orders and there were two servers also behind the counter, doing some prep work. I ordered at the counter because that's what people were doing. They need to hire a hostess or make sure the servers greet customers when they walk inside. That way there is no confusion.

While I enjoyed the food and the service, I didn't think Fattoush was a good deal. The prices are high for the amount of food you get and the quality of the food, while very good, didn't justify the high prices. I'm not opposed to going back, but I'm not going to rush back either.

Upland Kabob

Upland Kabob
733 N Mountain Ave
Upland
909-985-5454

It's Friday during Lent, so that means no meat. I've gotten tired of eating fish on Friday. So I decided to get some falafel! Upland Kebob has been on my list of places to try but I haven't had a chance to go to the area. So, this was as good of a time as any.

Upland Kebob is a good sized restaurant, that is separated into three parts. The dining room, the buffet table, and the counter area. I wasn't sure if it was a sit down restaurant or a counter service restaurant. It's actually a sit down restaurant, where people can order at the counter for to go orders.



Falafel wrap, $5.95. The falafel wrap was filled with three pieces of falafel, hummus, garlic sauce, lettuce, onions, tomatoes in pita bread. First thing I noticed was the texture of the hummus, a bit more chunky than the hummus I'm used to. But, it was fresh and a nice mild flavor, not that overly tangy flavor I get from most hummus.

Falafel is a chick peas/garbanzo beans mixture that is fried. I liked this falafel because it was crunchy on the outside and had a nice flavorful taste.

All the combinations of flavors worked well with this falafel wrap.



Falafel salad, $8.95 with romaine lettuce, tahini sauce I really just wanted six pieces of falafel, not a damn salad, but whatever. Again the same crunchy outside and flavorful inside. But, one thing I noticed, they used bottle lemon juice!! Why not use fresh lemons??

Service is friendly but kinda of off. I walked in and they told me they do not serve falafel for dinner!! I have never heard of any Middle Eastern place not serving falafel. Then when I told him I wanted just falafel, I got the damn falafel salad. I don't want to pay for stupid lettuce and other stuff I don't want or need.

Overall, I did enjoy the falafel from Upland Kebob. I will go back for their lunch buffet, $11.95 for all you can eat chicken kebobs, beef and chicken shawarma, and many other items.

Papa Hassan's Grill-Closed

Papa Hassan's Grill
882 S Brookhurst St
Anaheim
714-533-7338

Papa Hassan's used to be in Orange, near Chapman University. But, a fire destroyed the original location. The owners thought about rebuilding, but the university would to only extend to the lease for a few years, thus making rebuilding a bad business idea.

So about a year goes by and Papa Hassan's Grill opens up in Anaheim in late 2011, right next door to the Sizzler that was reviewed by The New Diner in 2009.

I never went to Papa Hassan's in Orange, but people who have told me Papa Hassan's Grill is a more casual place; you order at the counter and they bring the food to you.

The location is a bit different too. Right across the street is a strip club. The parking lot is very dark. The area won't make any postcards, any time soon.

The restaurant is fairly small and the many fans have made the trek down from Orange. The place was packed the night I ate here. There is seating for about 25 people.

I ordered the chicken kebob plate that included salad, rice, and pita bread, $11.95.



The salad was pretty standard, with iceberg and romaine lettuce, cucumbers, a slice of tomato, and pita chips. The lettuce wasn't that fresh, but it was ok. Nothing exciting or memorable about this salad.



The chicken kebob came with onions and green peppers. Though some parts were too charred, the chicken was moist and tender. But, it lack a lot of flavor, it was too bland. They needed to add more seasoning to the chicken. The portion size was good and the rice was cooked perfectly. But, overall I would have to say I wasn't impressed with the chicken.

Service was friendly, but kind understaffed. The person who took my order is the owner, I believe. He was trying to get orders out and take my order and wasn't doing a good job. I was waiting at the counter for about 5 minutes while he got the orders out. He should hire a cashier, who's many responsibility is to take orders. When I placed my order, I wanted to dine in but all the tables were taken. He left and went to the back. I had no idea what was happening, until he brought a table and chair out. That's great he got a table for me, but at least tell me what you're doing so you don't leave me hanging. My food came quickly, though I had to go up and ask for silverware.

Maybe the food has changed since moving from Orange, but I don't see the hype for Papa Hassan's. I won't return.