Bavel - Arts District

This is from pre-reopening, so my folks and I were seated out on the patio. Bavel is a favorite (Chefs Ori and Genevieve’s new cook book is also fantastic) so we branched out and tried a few new things. This was also coming in at the end of our weekend eating odyssey, so we didn’t quite want to tuck in to our usual move with lamb neck shawarma.

Duck Hummus

This is automatic. I’d argue it should be in the LA Dish HOF.

Chicken Liver Paté

Another banger. It’s really tough to decide which is better, the carbs or the spreads in these initial courses. But it’s also obvious that both together are transcendent.

Oyster Mushroom Kebab

Double take to check it’s actually not meat.

Heirloom Lettuce Salad

While I’d say this was about getting some vegetables on the table, this is a legit good salad. It’s not going to ever define the meal, but it’s not a let down in any way.

Cherry Tomato

Light and refreshing, with a slick kick of heat from the harissa to balance out the sweetness of the strawberries. This is the sort of farmers market dish that I wish I’d have the confidence to just throw together after strolling through the market.

Roasted Cauliflower

This is another dish we usually always order–though it was less spicy this time so the dip wasn’t as necessary.

Beef Cheek Tagine

I’ve had different versions of the tagine before, but it’s been a minute. The beef was incredibly tender, and easily fell apart as we spooned it onto our plates.

Licorice Root Ice Cream Bonbon

We were pretty full, but our server talked us into this dessert and damn I’m glad they did. My dad is a big fan (strangely) of licorice, so he was an easy mark. It didn’t overwhelm with licorice flavor though and we all marveled at Chef Genevieve’s mastery of pastry. Really any time you’ve got the chance to have one of her desserts you should at least split one amongst the party.

This turned out to be the bite of the night.

I was still a bit surprised to see tables open when we had dinner there (though it was a Tuesday), but with LA fully reopened now it seems like this will once again, deservedly, be one of the hardest reservations in town.

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first dinner here since the pandemic. the place is as busy as ever and still running like a well oiled machine.

hummus duck 'nduja - tahini, parsley, cilantro, olive oil, pita
must order. the pita is just as good as @hppzz’s

(new) cherry tomato - gaviota strawberries, whipped feta, burnt harissa, sprouting cilantro
this had salt, fat, acid, heat and sweetness. wish there were a little more strawberry.

grilled prawns - harissa marinade, cured zucchini & cucumber tzatziki, fresh herbs, lime
possible my favorite thing on the menu. must order.

braised lamb shank - cherry reduction, cinnamon, cardamom, coconut rice, soft herbs
I was a bit disappointed they didn’t have the wagyu oxtail version of this dish, but the lamb shank was pretty damn good. cherry reduction was great.

ice cream terrine - cherry orange blossom sherbet, chamomile ice cream, black currant meringue
can’t go wrong with any of chef genevieve’s desserts.

@js76wisco’s paper towel count - four.

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Lol. But how did my spicy nduja compare??

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couldn’t even tell the difference.

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Haha you’re a good sport. I will say my bavel pita had a lot more whole wheat flavor. But love that bavel cookbook! Highly recommended.

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Saw the strawberry dish last night and realized I had everything!

Hopefully that’s enough strawberries?
Substituted burnted harrisa for fly by jing Chile crisp and cilantro for sweet basil, sorry @chrishei

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do you have everything for grilled prawns, harissa marinade, cured zucchini & cucumber tzatziki, fresh herbs, and lime? asking for a friend.

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Peony: We have been to Bavel many, many times. Every time, we were impressed by all the complicated and bold flavor combinations that work so well. However, this time I was a little bit disappointed by the flavors. I liked the scallop crudo and the endive salad. They lived up to the expectations I have for Bavel appetizers. For the tomato-strawberry salad and the turmeric potato flatbread, I found the flavors were too strong, and the sauces overpowered the base ingredients. The fish was not impressive, although I liked the sauce on top of the fish skin. The meaty part of the fish was a little bland and slightly chewy. For the mushroom kebab, I found that the spices were too strong and the purée tasted a bit bland in this combination. I wonder if the dishes we ordered this time had too light base ingredients for the strong sauces and seasonings. Perhaps previously, when we got prawns, duck, and chicken as the base ingredients, they worked better with the sauces and seasonings.

Warrior: This was not my favorite meal at Bavel, but it was still delicious overall. The grilled dorade and roasted oyster mushrooms were excellent as always. Peach cobbler was delicious. The tomato-strawberry dish was gorgeous, though I felt the dollops of burnt harissa detracted from rather than enhanced the dish. The scallop crudo with calamansi lime juice was good. The turmeric potato flatbread was good, but I would have preferred no cheese or at least a cheese less briny than feta. The endive arugula salad was rather generic and didn’t have the deliciousness I associate with Bavel. Using only endive as the base for toppings (like the chicken gizzard dish at Bestia) would have more potential in my opinion.

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Peony: I enjoyed this meal much more than the last one at Bavel. I particularly liked the new dishes such as the delicata squash, the king trumpet mushroom kabob, and the celery root. Last time, I was a bit disappointed that Bavel didn’t do a good job with the vegetable dishes we ordered. This time, Bavel restored my confidence. I’m very happy about that.

Warrior: very good restaurant. see below

Good to very good: farm cheese, prawns, delicata squash tempura, king trumpet mushrooms, celery root.

Fine but not my favorites: sweet potatoes, carrots


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Going to bavel haven’t been in 1.5 yrs what should I get?

Their menu hasn’t really changed much when I went in October so go for the same items:

  • huumus duck 'nduja
  • baba ghanoush
  • grilled prawns
  • fried quail
  • oyster mushroom kebab
  • lamb neck shawarma

I actually prefer their appetizers and spreads over entrees.

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1.5 hrs? LOL!!

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i think that’s what they’re generally strong at. Saffy’s and Bavel appetizers, sides and desserts are stronger than their entrees/proteins.
go to mini kabob for the meat, i haven’t been to Bavel in a while but the Mizlala mushrooms were pretty damn good too

but what do i know, i’m basic.

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Lol yrs!

I recall having the same impression of apps and spreads over mains. The only thing I think I’ve had as a main is the lamb neck 2x.

Maybe I’ll just go get a torta afterwards lol

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Tire shop taqueria is only a few miles away from Bavel!

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I favor things in the top half of the menu

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I wish Bavel has some better options for proteins. The shrimp is great. I wasn’t a huge fan of the quail. The fry the last time had a lot to be desired. We enjoyed the lamb neck but its not something we love/craved.

The key is to order the extra pitas halfway after your done with the dips so the pitas are piping hot.

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If I get the chance I’m gonna pass on tire shop and go to super tortas df and maybe tacos don eve for tacos al vapor

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Closed unfortunately! I’ve tried Tortas Movil nearby and they’re decent but it’s not the same. I’ve tried to get to the two or three Tortas Gigantes locations on Yelp but can never catch any when they’re open. Probably an unpopular opinion but Gallo Giro does an okay cubana (among other things) and they have a killer deal if you’re in need of a bunch of sandwiches.

It’s a little further afield but if you were willing to do Super Tortas DF I would recommend Cemitas Poblanas Los Chivos in East LA. Different kind of torta but still huge and they seem to have papalo year round unlike other cemita places.

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Oh what that is a bummer, I had no idea they closed thanks for the heads up. Do you know if it’s temporary? Or are they just no longer parked at that location?

Movil and monje gigante are just not as good, I’ve had both. Movil also can have really can have long waits.

Thanks for the cemita rec, I will check them out!