I had been eyeing the opening of this restaurant for the better part of the last three months. I first noticed it on one of my evening commutes from my new job which sent me down Motor Avenue. The restaurant is located one street east on the very busy and ethnically diverse Venice Boulevard. A friend had mentioned how much she loved the Jaffa on 3rd but being a Westsider, it takes a lot for me to summon up the energy to veer east of the 405 and north of the 10. I had read that the Palms location would be opening in 2019 so I just decided to bide my time.

We were seated in the covered patio where there was plenty of opportunity to people watch. As the sun set, the string of lights illuminated the patio evoking a romantic evening glow. With it being opening week, the restaurant had a full house with lots of patrons coming and going. 

Our starters were the Kubaneh bread and the North African chickpea stew. The Yemenite hand pulled bread came with a mild grated tomato sauce and a slightly spiced green zhug sauce. The Kubaneh was beautiful to look at, almost too pretty to eat. However, that thought was quickly admonished after our first bite. It’s what one would imagine a warm hug would feel like if it could be encapsulated into dinner rolls. The bread was warm and enveloping with a light salty aftertaste. The stew had a hearty flavor with a complex layer of heat and tang from the spicy chilis, green beans and cilantro encompassing each bite. We dipped a few pieces of the bread in the stew which was likely what we would do if we were actually dining at a restaurant in Tel Aviv and that added another layer of flavor to both starters.

Our entrees came shortly thereafter. We ordered the spaghetti with Moroccan saffron butter and the roasted chicken with Moroccan spices set in a dried fruit and olive jus with a side of orzo rice pilaf. One could smell the saffron wafting from the homemade pasta. It had a slightly thicker consistency than other pastas we have tried which gave it a bit more bite than the traditional Italian version. Combined with the Swiss chard, pine nuts, herbs and date vinegar, it was different and interesting, denser and heartier than what we expected but still quite good. The roast chicken was a true delight. It was savory and moist, had a citrus aftertaste and its juices were soaked up by the light fluffy savory spiced rice making it a divine combo.

To end our feast, we were served the knafeh. I had seen a photo of it on Instagram but had never sampled one before. I have clearly wasted decades as this is a unique dessert not to be missed. Jaffa’s knafeh was like a nest of thin straw which were tightly wound phyllo dough with a bit of cheese in the middle drizzled with a subtly sweet syrup. The texture and the combination of the flavors was what made this dessert a winner. 

Our first of many dinners at Jaffa was a true success. We will be back with friends and we’re looking forward to sampling the restaurant’s other offerings. 

Jaffa Palms

10306 Venice Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90232

http://www.jaffa.la/palms/index.php