Farbreng With The Kosher Gang: Fire, Pita, and Serious Vibes

This Restaurant Brought an Israeli Alley to the Valley

Photography by Jared Kahn

Are you sick of donuts yet? I think I’m all set until next Chanukah lol. I could definitely go for a few more latkes though.

On a serious note, I hope you all had a warm, meaningful Chanukah filled with light, love, and surrounded by your favorite people.

In my last article, I mentioned my new white button-down shirts from &Collar. A good amount of you let me know you made good use of that info over Black Friday. They still have some items on sale until January 1st, which I believe includes their “Range Pants,” which I mentioned having just ordered in the last article.

You’re probably thinking again, why is he telling me this? Well, I did an experiment this week that got about 10,000 views on Instagram and TikTok (@WeWantMoshiachNow). While I was explaining how &Collar clothes are wrinkle-free, water-resistant, machine washable, and stain-resistant, an entire bottle of red wine was poured over my head. It ran down my hair and face, drenching my white button-down front and back.

I quickly headed to the laundromat to test &Collar’s claims. The result? Both the pants and the shirt came out of the wash good as new. The shirt was white as ever, the pants spotless. Not a drop of wine left on them. Do with that information what you will.

This week, we had the absolute pleasure of tasting some authentic Israeli food that took my tastebuds on a sixteen-thousand-mile trip to Jerusalem and back, except I only had to make a 45-minute drive into the Valley.

Before we get to that though, I wanted to give the gang one more update. First, thank you so much to all our Farbreng Gang readers who went and supported Raquel at Sweet & Spizy. I keep hearing from you about how awesome the food is, and it makes me so happy because, in case you didn’t see the cover story I wrote about them, Sweet & Spizy and I have a storied past together.

About a year ago, I made a TikTok after finding them on Uber Eats. It turned out they were operating out of a non-kosher ghost kitchen, cooking kosher meat double-wrapped in a treif oven. After that, Raquel lost 97% of her business. But we didn’t give up on them.

I made two more videos updating viewers on the situation, with commentary from both Raquel Soleimany, the owner, and the rabbi who certified them. After working together for a full year, Raquel is now in her own storefront on Pico and Hauser. Of course, I had to make sure the gang knew about it, and The LA Jewish Home was gracious enough to give me the cover story so everyone saw it.

Now they’re doing great. And it didn’t stop there.

I brought 150 tacos to the boys at Yeshiva Ohr Elchanon Chabad a few weeks ago. Their reactions were priceless. They loved the tacos and probably demolished all 150 in under five minutes. That video also earned around 10,000 views and climbing.

So, thank you to everyone who showed support to Raquel. Let’s keep it going. If you haven’t already, there’s no better place to get authentic kosher Mexican food, probably in the entire country. A must-try for anyone who loves tacos.

Speaking of meat wrapped in bread…

This week’s featured review is a special one. All the way from the Holy Land, and the food tastes like straight-up kedusha.

So enough yapping from me.

Let’s eat.

 

Machane Yehuda Flavor Without the Jet Lag

Located at 19527 Ventura Blvd in Tarzana, Arais Machane Yehuda LA is unlike a lot of the restaurants we review. It’s a chain restaurant. Well, kind of…

The first location opened in the heart of the world: Jerusalem, Israel.

The restaurant was met with rave reviews from Israeli chefs, with foodies from all over flocking to Machane Yehuda for a taste of their signature arais: flavorful ground meat stuffed inside fire-charred pitas.

Here in LA, they come in lamb, beef, ribeye, and even a vegan option.

The Jerusalem location was a huge hit. That’s when the owner and nephew of Izhak Eskayo reached out to his uncle in LA with a business proposition: open a location in Los Angeles and bring this trending Israeli food to the States using the OG location’s renowned proprietary recipes.

Except Izhak didn’t want to.

He was already working in construction, and even though he wasn’t passionate about it, it paid the bills.

For three years, he rarely thought of the idea. Izhak is a grounded guy. He works, goes to shul at Woodland Hills Chabad, and lives the normal life of an Israeli-American Jew.

That is, until one sad day.

A woman from his shul lost her daughter. Izhak was by the shiva, helping make the minyan as frequently as he could. On one such occasion during the week, he was joined by his friend from shul, Omer, who had recently returned from a trip to Israel.

Suddenly, after finishing davening, hearts still heavy, Omer turned to Izhak. Breaking the tension, he smirked and asked, “Do you know what taste I’m having in my mouth right now? Your nephew’s arais!”

Izhak felt a surge of energy. He was sick of construction. Literally, he told me it made his stomach churn just thinking about continuing with it. He was ready for a change. He turned to his friend, smiled, and said, “Let’s do it.”

Two days later, they were already sitting down, making plans and scouting locations. They felt that between the two of them, they’d benefit from a third partner. They told themselves, “Let’s see what Hashem will provide for us.”

The very next day, as Omer was leaving the shiva, he saw a friend of theirs at the door. A woman by the name of Donna. Together, the three of them confirmed their interest and decided once and for all, “We’re opening this restaurant.”

They wanted a place close to shul, but with local traffic. They were set on Ventura Blvd. So the three of them got in the car, cruising down the boulevard, laughing, when they saw a storefront for lease. They stopped. It was perfect. Previously a pizzeria. They jumped on it.

Even though the location was already outfitted as a restaurant, they had their own vision. So they completely gutted the place, leaving only one single wall standing. They built a bar and imported a hand-built oven from Europe.

During that time, October 7 happened. As Israelis, both Izhak and Omer were deeply affected. They became even more committed to the restaurant, feeling a sense of duty to provide a safe space for Jewish youth to come, hang out, eat fully glatt-kosher food, and socialize with like-minded people.

They wanted a pub-like environment for Jews at all levels to come and farbreng, regardless of where they’re holding. Emphasizing this idea loudly and proudly, Arais LA has a beautiful atmosphere with art-lined walls, a long L-shaped bar with beer on tap, modern décor, unique lighting, and more than one picture of the Lubavitcher Rebbe smiling back at you.

As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted by the smell of Mediterranean spices and the sound of sizzling meat, as dishes spin inside the clay oven and flames dance in the background, almost in sync with the Israeli music quietly soundtracking the room.

At this point, you’re thinking to yourself, “David, if you don’t get to the food already…”

I’m once again joined this week by the talented Jared Kahn, taking flicks of all this delicious food and sharing his hot takes.

Jared, how are you, bro?

“What’s up, bro? I’m doing good, man. I’m starving, and this food looks so good!”

Yeah, I’m so excited to be here, bro. This food looks incredible.

We started things off with the namesake: the lamb arais.

FIRE.

The meat was perfectly seasoned and dripping with juices. The schug was flavorful, hot, and complementary. The pita was perfectly toasted and crisp.

“Yeah, this meat isn’t dry at all. It’s cooked perfectly with a little pink in the center. Very herby.”

You’re so right. This is incredible and always nice to wash down with a good cabernet. L’chaim, Jared.

“L’chaim, brother. This 805 they have on tap is hitting the spot.”

Next up, we had some of the freshest veggies I’ve been served at a restaurant in LA. The green beans were crunchy with a garlic-soy flavor that elevated them beyond a side dish. I don’t even like eggplant, but their “Perfect Eggplant” might have convinced me otherwise. It certainly lived up to its name. Smothered in tahini and chimichurri and served with crunchy pita chips covered in zaatar, I ate at least half of it myself. It tasted like the best babaganoush I’ve ever had.

Potatoes four ways followed shortly after. Sweet potato fries that were crispy, sweet, and perfectly salted. Chunky potatoes that were a dream to eat. They were so crunchy, words can’t do them justice. You have to try those papas for real.

Next, we had the potato and sweet potato medura, which reminded me of potato gratin in the best way. The baked garlic and olive oil top hardened to a consistency that almost felt like cheese. The medura potatoes in both styles were standouts. We had mountains more food to eat, and I legitimately ate an entire potato straight up.

“Yeah, bro. Those green beans are my favorite. I love the crunch. If you’re a potato lover, these taste good. They’re very flavorful. I wouldn’t usually order a whole potato, even though people think potatoes are just bad carbs, they’re actually really good for you. They’re addicting almost.”

You’re so right, Jared. These potatoes are worth ordering for sure.

The hot wings came next, and seriously… I recently asked a friend of mine why the Jewish world doesn’t have a wing restaurant like Buffalo Wild Wings or Wingstop. Why, in the kosher restaurant scene, are wings relegated to a side dish, while in the secular world they’re seen as a full entrée?

Arais solves that in perfect pub style. These wings were crispy, with a sauce that was sticky, sweet, and spicy. Needless to say, my wing craving was satisfied. If you’re a wing lover, that alone is reason enough to check out Arais.

Then Izhak brought us two plates of shawarma. At first, I was confused because it looked like he brought us the same thing twice. Looks can be deceiving. One was chicken shawarma. The other? Vegan.

Both tasted amazing. Spiced the same, the chicken shawarma was juicy and crisp around the edges. Mix in some spicy schug and a bit of their green pepper, and you’re transported straight to the shuk.

The vegan shawarma was also incredible. The mushroom and cauliflower were reminiscent of meat, while still very obviously vegetables once inside your mouth. If I kept vegan, this would be a mainstay in my weekly dinner rotation.

“Wow, these actually taste like real buffalo wings. This tastes like classic American wings. I’m a big grilled-wing guy, but these are good.”

Before we knew what hit us, more veggies hit the table. This time, the baked cauliflower taboon, drenched in chimichurri and tasting incredible. Again, I typically don’t like cauliflower. I usually won’t eat it. But this is a good, healthy option I could see myself ordering again.

Izhak also brought us the chicken breast salad, which featured that same vegetable quality from earlier. He told us all the produce is fresh and processed in-house. You can tell on the first bite. The crispness of the vegetables speaks volumes. The chicken breast was moist and flavorful, reminiscent of the shawarma.

Just as we thought we were turning the corner, the ribeye pita sandwich hit the table, and it was as delicious as it sounds. Juicy ribeye stuffed into a pita with hummus, tahini, schug, and veggies. My mouth is watering just thinking back on it. After everything I already ate, the fact that I finished the sandwich says everything you need to know.

“I’m not a fan of raw lettuce, but this sandwich is good. The pepper? Spicy. The pita is fresh, and it’s so juicy. Everything tastes fresh and clean, not greasy. The food’s not heavy.”

Yeah, despite having eaten enough for three people, I don’t feel gross at all.

For our final meat dish, we got some lahmajoun, an open pita topped with ground beef, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Delicious doesn’t even begin to cover it. Another diner nearby offered to share their thoughts anonymously:

“This is really good. This tahini is exactly how I like it. The meat is flavorful, and the potato medura is so tasty. It’s perfectly salted. The seasoning permeates the whole potato. It tastes like I’m in Israel.”

I couldn’t agree more. The Israel location only sells arais. To achieve the pub-style vibe he was going for, Izhak expanded the menu, and truthfully, everything worked. Including the lahmajoun, which made me want to eat here all the time.

Jared and I thought we had eaten everything when suddenly Izhak appeared holding three desserts.

A chocolate cake dripping with fudge and served with a scoop of parve vanilla ice cream. A parve knafeh. And two Dubai chocolate bonbons.

“The chocolate cake is crunchy. It has chocolate nibs. The ice cream tastes real. That is good. The Dubai chocolate bonbons are crunchy and good. A little sweet for my liking, but good. It tastes like a chocolate pistachio wafer. Knafeh is my favorite. I photograph a lot of Mediterranean simchas, and I always go for it.”

Yes, Jared. That crunchy chocolate inside the cake takes it to another level for me. The Dubai chocolate was good, not too sweet for me. The filo dough was crunchy, which I liked, though it looked like it would be softer, and that threw me off slightly. All in all, I still liked it. The knafeh was great, but without the cheese, it tasted a little rosewater-forward, reminding me of Fruit Loops, which isn’t a bad thing. I just think the chocolate cake was my favorite dessert.

Now let’s get down to the brass tacks. I sense a high score, but first, let me give you a breakdown.

First and foremost, I love how community-oriented Arais is. They set out to create a safe space for Jews to come hang out, and it genuinely feels that way inside. Mission accomplished.

They’re starting to build out their catering business so people can bring a taste of Jerusalem to their simchas, but you can also bring the simcha to them. Arais opens on Saturday night for private events, where your party can take over the whole restaurant. They bring in a DJ, fire up the oven, and let you and your friends do your thing. Talk about shuk vibes.

The atmosphere is awesome. It makes for the perfect business meeting spot or a not-too-fancy but still nice date night. The art on the walls makes it feel alive, like a real Israeli place.

Lastly, I love how intentional they are. They opened a restaurant they knew had traction in Israel and added to the menu to cater to the LA market, but with restraint, so it doesn’t turn into a 40-page menu. Everything works because it’s all good food. Each item stands out in its own right.

“Yeah, I thought we were coming to an ordinary shawarma place. You know, just shawarma, chicken breast, and falafel. This is not that. This is the real deal taste of Israel, like we’re really on Machane Yehuda. No gimmicks.”

I couldn’t have said it better, Jared. What are you thinking for a score?

“I’m not going to give it a 10. You don’t really get a 10 out of 10. It’s not out of this world, but it’s really, really good. The food itself is delicious. It’s true Israeli food without a twist. I’ll give it a 7.5 out of 10. They know what they’re doing.”

Solid score. Well said.

Arais Machane Yehuda LA knows who they are. They’re not trying to be something they’re not. Not chasing anyone else’s coattails. They are what they are at the highest level. For that reason, I’m confident they deserve a 92 out of 100 from me.

I love this place, and I plan on being back many times over.

Thank you to Izhak and Omer for being such gracious hosts. Wow. What a meal.

Arais Machane Yehuda LA

@JaredKahnPhotography Hot Take: 7.5 / 10

@WeWantMoshiachNow Official Score: 92 / 100

I loved doing this review. Like any sane person, I love Israel. I love Israeli food. So this was a real treat for me. A heartwarming backstory to a restaurant always makes me smile.

Shoutout to the talented Jared Kahn for snapping all these fire food flicks. Jared is available for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and all simchas. Get in touch with him at @JaredKahnPhotography.

Until next time, I think that’s a review.

David Greenberg is a music industry professional, songwriter, and content creator. You can follow him @WeWantMoshiachNow on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Hear his kosher pop music at soundcloud.com/WeWantMoshiachNow. For all inquiries: WeWantMoshiachNow@thelajewishhome.com