And the award for cutest restaurant name… cutest concept… basically cutest everything goes to… KISMET! And I haven’t even told you my favorite part yet: Kismet is run by a dream *girl power* team (Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson of Madcapra fame, and formerly New York City’s Glasseriein) in partnership with the beloved team behind Jon + Vinny’s. It was destined for greatness and greatness it has already achieved.
Kismet set up shop in what is becoming one of the Eastside’s hippest enclaves neighboring up to Los Feliz favs like HomeState, Go Get Em Tiger, and Bar Covell. The adorable, bright, cozy little spot is impressively open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. It’s casual enough that you could likely stroll in during the day and have a quick (or not-so-quick) bite, but it’s still hip/chic/tasteful/upscale enough to impress anyone who joins you there for a meal. Trust me when I say anyone who is anyone is obsessed with Kismet – within fair reasoning as far as I’m concerned!
The menu is definitely Middle Eastern inspired with a particular Israeli influence. At Kismet you’ll find familiar flavors like za’atar, tahini, dill, greens, and citrus. During the day you can order things like a za’tar squash toast (which you absolutely should), marinated feta, or shakshuka, while in the evening you’ll find dishes like rabbit for two, lamb belly, and a variety of pickled this-that-and-the-others.
I went in for lunch with a girlfriend and ordered about 4-5 dishes for the two of us, all of which we completely polished off, but I have to say the only thing I had a difficult time with was the final bill. While I do totally appreciate gratuity already being added in, $70 for lunch for two with no alcohol seemed slightly aggressive. But, being able to try such fun/creative/healthy dishes created by such talented women (chef Meadow Ramsey from Sqirl who does their pastries included!) is worth the money for the experience. It’s not one you have to have all the time necessarily (although I’d be more than happy to) but it’s one you definitely should have regardless.
Must Drink | I mean… really every beverage on this beverage list sounds pretty lovely. Wine… spritz… punch… turkish coffee… cider… rosewater lemonade… strawberry soda! YUM!
Must Order | Whether you’re there day or night you HAVE TO HAVE TO order the flaky bread. I got the savory bread last time, but I’ve heard equally good things about the sweet flaky bread. Outside of that, if you’re there during the day be sure to *try to* get the za’atar squash toast – it was hands down my favorite thing on the menu that I had. I also really loved the marinated feta and the whole wheat brioche toast with halva spread and *Sqirl* jam. To. Die. For.
Perfect Spot For | breakfast // lunch // dinner // something new and cool // Los Feliz eats // snacks and wine // delicious Middle Eastern eats // bread // sweets
KISMET // 4648 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
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