Once in a while, one gets to step into a restaurant that has the ability to whisk them right back…read moreto childhood memories; a foreign place; sounds of a market; and the equivalent of a culinary trip on the spice Trail. Arais Machne Yehuda his one such place. Living up to its namesake, the Machne Yehuda market in Jerusalem, made famous, not only for its colorful stalls and sellers, but also for the outstanding food one can get at the market. But in order to pull that off, you need the perfect storm of the following ingredients: caring, sensitive, owners who treat you like a household guest. Culinary wizards who understand their ingredients and know how to make the best out of them. Appreciative crowd, who knows good food. Period. When all these come together, what you get is a touch of magic. And Arais is exactly that. A touch of magic on Ventura Boulevard. Let's talk some of the ingredients. The warm chickpeas (hummus) that came to the table, at a perfect temperature, and with just a hint of lemon, were the ABSOLUTE BEST chickpeas I had anywhere outside of Jerusalem. I don't say this lightly. Most Mediterranean, restaurants and almost all Israeli restaurants pride themselves on their chickpea preparations. There's a saying in Israel that Israel will forever argue about which chickpeas are the best, which chickpeas make the best dish, which preparation of chickpeas is better than the others. Basically Israeli's lives revolve around evaluating chickpeas. So by telling you, this was the best I've had outside of Jerusalem, what I'm really trying to say is that these weren't "good chickpeas for Tarzana", but rather some of the best anywhere in the world! And that was just the side dish! The formula is a known one. Take acidic vegetables as a side dish, mix them with rich and fatty meat dishes, where the acid of the vegetables in the pickles cuts through the richness; couple that with side dishes, where each dish adds to the overall experience; and what you get is exactly that magic that I told you about earlier on. When you mix that with knowledgeable owners and and welcoming atmosphere, what you get is a short trip to far away lands. Arais Machne Yehuda on every chord. If I have one single comment, and trust me that taking into account, the totality of the experience that was amazing, I would tell you that the pita bread that the Arais came in, was a bit salty. I let the owners know my dislike of tahini, something that has cost me relationships, and has earned me the jeers of many an Israeli; but they insisted time and time again that maybe I should try it "just this time". I explained that once every five years I do in fact, try tahini just to find out that I still don't like it, but my words fell on deaf ears. And you know what? They were right. Both the tahini and chimichurri sauces were perfect accompaniment for the rich lamb meatballs, nestled in the pitas. I was expecting a little bit more heat and the chimichurri to complement the tangy and oily taste emanating from good olive oil and chopped herbs. But alas, the heat came from the deep-fried jalapeños that I had on the side. The look on one of the owners faces when I ate six of them in a row and then proclaimed they were "mild", was priceless. Since this was my first time there, I also got fat chunks of deep fried and then roasted potatoes, a perfect accompaniment to the already rich meal. I highly recommend this Mediterranean/Israeli gem in the heart of Tarzana. If you're ever looking for Israeli food, this, my friends, is it!

Baruch Hashem, what an amazing place... If you like Israeli food and what authenticity this is the…read moreplace! This place is named after the famous market in Jerusalem, which has some of the best food in the world inside there and it's a cultural hotspot for young people at night. The friendly owner agreed to take your order and you feel like you're in Jerusalem amazing My friend and I had two very authentic Peters one with kebab and one with chicken legs no bones and I gotta say it was awesome. Plus the little appetizers were great too. If you're ever in the Valley, I want something special check this place out.

We went to TLV Tapas for the first time last night and absolutely loved it. We've been hearing…read moregreat things about this place for a while, so we finally decided to check it out--and it definitely lived up to the hype. The décor is beautiful and the vibe is great. I know it turns more nightclub-like on Thursdays and Saturdays, but even on a Wednesday it felt lively and fun. The music was good and there were lots of birthday celebrations, which added to the festive atmosphere. We started with the bluefin crispy rice and the truffle sashimi from the specials menu. Both were good, but honestly I'd probably skip the raw bar next time because some of the other dishes were even better. The short rib cigar and the arais were fantastic. The real standouts were the oyster mushrooms--arguably the best mushrooms I've ever had--and the hanging tender skewer. Both were absolutely delicious and must-orders. We finished with the bread pudding, which was probably the least impressive dish of the night, but overall the meal and drinks were excellent. Huge shout-out to our waiter, Cesar, who made the experience even better. He was incredibly kind, attentive, and genuinely great at what he does. When we come back, we'll definitely be asking to sit in his section!

I had an amazing time at TLV tapas August 15. I celebrated my birthday with my friends! The DJ was…read moreamazing! His name is Sasha. I have never heard anything like it! He played the best isreali, persian, arabic music ever! I have heard the other Djs at tapas but he is by far the best! It felt like a club in isreal!

Wow Wow Wow Amazing food at an amazing price!!…read more Finally something new and tasty And open late at night. Good service! When you step in and get the smell, wow Strongly recommended avocado sandwich or pizza

Located in a small plaza on Ventura Blvd. It's in the corner right next to Cho Cho San. It's a…read morepretty small place that has table and bar top seating. It looks like you can order through the ordering station, or if they are not busy, someone can take your order. The menu isn't too extensive, so it should be a pretty easy decision. Drinks are in a fridge, so no refills here. All of their pizzas are personal size. I ordered the Margherita and it took about 7 or so minutes. Came out piping hot and looked really good. If you dine in, there are condiments on the tables. There was this sweet thousand island sauce that I enjoyed. They have a garlic cream sauce that was pretty good also. The dough has a nice chew and the undercarriage is nice and charred. They use a mozzarella cheese blend that's imported from NY. My Margherita was pretty good, but it did not come with any basil on it. I guess they are making it the traditional way. In Italy, Margherita is a cheese pizza. It's not the kind that we are accustomed here in the states. I would have liked there to be a little bit more sauce though. But overall, I would definitely come back here when in the area. I actually had leftovers for lunch the next day and though it I heat it up in a microwave, it was still tasty and a good chew. Come by and support this small business.

The food is absolutely delicious. Well seasoned & very large portions…read more The service is hit & miss. Some of the staff is friendly but most act like you're bothering them. The restaurant can get very loud, especially on weekends. Free, large parking lot located below the structure.

I'm giving the two stars (instead of one) because we went here 8 months ago and it was average…read more Not sure if we needed to come back but we were hungry and it was open so we went in today. Today confirmed we don't need to come back. Maybe the trick is that if you are going to a "hummus bar" order the hummus... we didn't... we ordered two things. The first item was a beet salad... the lettuce was sad, the beets were sad, the sugary nuts were sad. It wasn't a Beet Salad it was a Beet S'ad (The slices of green apple rocked!) (But, really, pieces of greens and beets that should never have gone on a plate.) The second thing we ordered was the Grilled Salmon... I mean there it was at the top of their digital menu (disliked the digital menu just on general principal) and it said "Best Seller-Grilled Salmon." Cool let's try the grilled salmon. (See pictures). I mean, even if they thought I said "We will take the Beet Salad with Some Grilled Salmon on it" (I didn't), take the time to clarify. Regardless, the over-cooked fingers of salmon that came over on a plate were pretty pathetic. (I also could have said something at the time but you know how it it... now you have one person eating a wilted salad while the other person is waiting for their food to get redone and it amounts to two people eating sad food at different times.) The clincher was when the lady seated next to us came back from the women's room and mentioned that there was a cockroach lying on it's back unsure whether to die or not. She said, "But on a positive note, I think that means they are at least spraying for cockroaches." Gotta say, they still have a proper amount of people employed but not of them exactly energetic. I suppose another good thing was that my wife went to use the rest room a few minutes later and said the cockroach was gone so they either threw it out or placed it back in the kitchen where it belonged.

Delicious food. Great service and verity options to choose…read morefrom. Gluten free pizza is great for those who can't have the regular

I've eaten at this place a few times, and I do enjoy coming back. The food is tasty, and you can…read moretell it's made with good-quality ingredients. It's not anything special or out of the ordinary, but it definitely does the job. The place itself is small, simple, and nice--clean and well organized. The atmosphere is calm and pleasant, and it's a good spot if you're looking for something casual and not too fancy. The service was good, and the woman working there was kind and patient, which added to the overall experience. The only reason I didn't give five stars is the wait time, which was a bit longer than expected. Other than that, it's a nice, solid place, and I would come back again

Wow wow wow the challah shnitzellll was made out of love…read more The new owner Johnny showed me love like no other and made my plate like I was a sultan Clean , amazing staff , yummy food !! They got a new menu that's wild as well Very friendly and family style spot to fill up your tummy with greatness!!

I will never give this place my business again. My husband simply asked if they had rice and the…read moreSalateam owner responded by yelling at him in front of our two small children. Regardless of the situation, there is absolutely no reason to speak to a customer that way, especially in front of young children. The interaction was so upsetting that both of my kids ended up crying. Unfortunately, this was a very disappointing and unprofessional experience. As a business owner, how you treat customers matter and yelling at someone in front of their children is simply unacceptable. We will not be returning.

Danielle catered a dinner party for my husband's birthday. He had been CRAVING ribs and barbecue,…read morebut since we keep kosher, it had been years. Danielle worked with me to plan a menu and truly went out of her way to make it easy. Her team delivered the food to our venue ahead of time and gave us easy to follow heating instructions. Our friends and family were blown away by the quantity and quality of the food - short ribs, birria, bbq chicken, green beans, and cornbread - and Danielle threw in pickles and other fixings. She advised me to get chips and rolls and WOW, our guests were so happy. Cannot recommend enough. Not only is Danielle an amazing chef, she's a mensch too. Absolutely worth the price, every penny.

This is the BEST BBQ out there! No one compares to Holy Smokes!! Even my kids love it!read more

Wowwwwwwwww. Came here Christmas Day. They were slammed with SO many orders and now I know why…read more Our plate order comes with rice, small bunch of fries, and 2 fluffy pitas. I couldn't even finish one entire order! You order, they will call you for your turn, come up and order which sides you like (or don't like) Giant portions: they stacked SO much vegetables in the plate order. Fresh vegetables!! None of them tasted overly marinated. Hummus smooth like a baby's butt. Meat was a little salty but with all the sides, absolutely delicious. Must come back for the schnitzel and falafel.

Food here is no less than amazing. I must be honest and say that when I got here I didn't have high…read moreexpectations. But from the way the food was served, looks authentic, and from the first bite, I knew it is a hit, So lace is clean, owner and employees super nice, and overall a place I will return to and that I already recommended. Good job!!

I visited Polina Cafe today around 10:00 AM, and unfortunately, it was a very disappointing…read moreexperience. While the environment is nicely designed and looks great, the pleasant experience ended as soon as I walked in and ordered. The service was slow and overall terrible. The staff was completely unhelpful when I asked for assistance with the wifi, making it a frustrating place to try to get any work done. The wifi was terribly slow and would not even open google. As for the coffee, my Americano was bland and overpriced. To make matters worse, the to-go cup was leaky, which just added to the frustration. I left feeling very unhappy and would not recommend this spot if you are looking for a fun time or a productive place to work. There are better options in the area.

I visited Polina Cafe recently and had a very pleasant experience overall. The place has a really…read morenice and calm atmosphere that makes it easy to relax and enjoy your time, especially in the morning. It feels quiet, welcoming, and comfortable, which is something I really appreciate when going out for breakfast. The cafe is a great spot for breakfast or a light meal. The seating is comfortable, the place is clean and well organized, and everything feels taken care of. You can tell they put effort into keeping the space neat and inviting. The prices are reasonable for the quality and the experience, which is always a plus. It feels like a good value and not overpriced, especially considering the atmosphere and cleanliness. Overall, this is a very nice cafe with a good vibe, fair prices, and a relaxed setting. I would definitely come back again, especially for breakfast or a quiet coffee. Four stars well deserved.

Out. Of. This. World…read more Finally had the opportunity to snag one of Borekas incredible pastries while in Woodland Hills for a working lunch. Located in a retail parking lot, this nondescript, walkup shop offers some absolutely delicious homemade pastries. The staff are friendly, efficient and there are no bells or whistles...only, bakery magic. I went with the Brown Butter and Potato option and it was outstanding. The aged dough is totally next level. Incredibly flakey, savory, and delicious. Whatever high quality ingredients you get, you'll be hungry for more. Each pastry comes with pickles (always ask for extra), hard boiled eggs and a wonderfully delicious tomato-based dipping sauce. The pastry is so good, I am counting down the days until my next visit...and the next... Very limited outdoor seating in a parking lot with no public restrooms available, but you know what you are getting instead? Divine Flakey Intervention. There is no substitute to Uzi's genius. Grab one today!

I can't remember if I'd already written a review on this place. Well, this place is the ti*s. Its…read moresoo good! Can't go wrong with anything you order. I always buy a box when I'm going to my parents. It comes in a pizza box lol, I love the feeling. It reheats well, the tomato sauce is good, the eggs are delicious and love the pickles. Spinach and cheese is probably the best. Its like a delicious stuffed croissant. No indoor seating, but I think they had outside? I always order online before because they can sell out. Love Love Love.