dune

 

Middle Eastern food is probably my all-time favorite cuisine. I could eat it again and again, and never tire of it. I just love all the flavorful and well-balanced dishes, from the unique use of vegetables to the freshly baked breads- I can't get enough! I had heard great things about Dune in Atwater Village, and made sure to stop by on a recent trip to Los Angeles. This casual, no-frills spot doesn't offer a huge menu, but they don't need to. They do a few things very well, so you really can't go wrong. Place your order, then pick a seat out on the sidewalk patio, and enjoy your food al fresco. My husband and I shared the pickled beet sandwich and the lamb and falafel Mezze plate. The sandwich comes on perfectly chewy ciabatta, piled high with pickled beets, toum, capers, kalamata olives, pickled onions, Bulgarian feta, an 8-minute egg, shoestring potatoes, and seasonal greens. It's a mouthful, but a truly delicious and well-balanced one. The Mezze offers everything I love about Middle Eastern cuisine all on one plate.  The pasture-raised lamb and organic green herb falafel come with housemade flatbread, hummus, house pickles, marinated cabbage and onions, tahini sauce, olives, and seasonal greens. I love using the flatbread as a vehicle to enjoy everything at once. Just pile it on and devour. Dune will definitely be added to my regular LA rotation- I already cannot wait to go back (and try the baklava!) next time I'm in town.