Farbreng With The Kosher Gang: Shabbulbs, Subs, and Stuffed Faces.

From La Bottega to Borekas, We Need to Bentsch.

All of us know what a Shabbos Lamp is.

You might be using one to read this article right now, but for 50K people online, it was a completely novel concept. Or they just wanted to hear me talk about it, because I uploaded a video reviewing my new Shabbulb and the comments were INSANE.

One user kept it simple with a “Wait! WHAT?” Another got philosophical and hit me with, “How is turning a light on and off work but covering it now work?” Maybe in my next video I should give a melacha shiur.

You know when you get something new and you just want to tell people about it?

Like in that same video, I had just picked up some new white button-downs for the Chagim from this brand called &Collar. They were FIRE. The fit was so perfect. I always bring all my shirts straight to the tailor right out of the packaging, and this time he told me I was good without it. He wouldn’t take my money.

Then I get home, read the tag, and apparently they’re made to just throw in the wash, no dry cleaning, and they’re wrinkle-free so you don’t even need to press them either? And you’re asking yourself, “Why is he telling me all of this…”

Well, I wore them on Chag. They claim they’re waterproof and stain-resistant too. I wash my hands, not netilat yadayim first night of Rosh Hashana, forget to roll up my sleeves, the water BOUNCES off! Crazy. The next night, I spill RED WINE, IT ALSO SPLASHES OFF!

If you remember, it was warm during the first few Chagim, and these shirts were breathable so I was sweating less. They stretch, which made me feel less rigid wearing them all day, especially because I walk a mile to shul both ways.

And again you’re asking: “Why is he telling me this?”

Last Shabbos, it was torrentially downpouring. While I’m hoping you all stayed dry, I still decided I would walk 1 mile to shul both ways. I thought I could wait for it to slow down, but no, it was pouring for hours straight. You were there. You remember. And it just so happened that I had bought the &Collar pants that week because I was so impressed with their shirts. Late Friday afternoon when I saw rain in the forecast, I had a lightbulb moment…

So let me tell you. I got soaked. BUT, the clothes stayed impressively dry in the pouring rain for a solid 10 minutes. Which meant I wasn’t drenched like I normally would have been, and I was fully dry before the Torah hit the bimah. I’m adding a few more shirts to my cart since they’re having sales up to 60% off shirts and pants for Black Friday. And you know I had to make sure the Farbreng Gang got the memo. Stay dry out there, folks!

I’m glad to be back. After 15 issues, 2 cover stories, and 8 months of hard work, I took a vacation last issue. Thank you to all the readers who told me they missed me. But now we’re back and ready for the next 15 stories, so stay tuned, we’re still only just getting started, gang! As long as there’s a kosher restaurant I haven’t tried, then the job’s not finished!

We’re returning to our roots this week. We’ll be back with another 3-page feature next issue, but I want to keep the old-school Farbreng Gang style alive, so every once in a while we’ll revisit our classic format. Which does mean, and I apologize to our visual readers, no pictures this week. But Jared Kahn will be back next issue!

This week I tried two places people have requested so many times I’ve lost count: the newish Italian sandwich spot La Bottega from the folks behind La Gondola, and Borekas in the Valley for the flaky Israeli classic we all know and love.

So with that, welcome back.

There’s nothing left to do. Let’s get to the food.

Brachas at Borekas

We’re starting things off in the Valley today, so you’re gonna want to give yourself an extra 20 minutes for traffic. But Borekas, located at 15030 Ventura Blvd #25, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, is worth the wait.

I’ve been craving a blended limonana for weeks. Surprisingly, it’s not something many places around LA carry. Someone should really change that…

Anyway, I typed it into Uber Eats and Borekas popped up! So many readers have told me, “You need to review Borekas.” So even though their limonana wasn’t listed as blended, it felt like the perfect opportunity to finally try their bourekas.

I placed my order online and, on a whim, called the store and asked if they could blend my limonana anyway. They did it with pleasure.

Craving = filled.

Omg, the mint, the crunchy ice-slushy texture, the lemonade, had me feeling like I was on a private beach in Tel Aviv watching the sunset. In reality, I was backbiting in traffic on the 101.

I got the Brown Butter Boureka, which stood out immediately, and the Fermented Cheese with Zaatar.

Both came with side salads and a spicy sauce that was sufficiently hot, even for a heat seeker like me.

They were surprisingly large, not the tiny bourekas from your local market. Golden-brown works of art staring back at me. I had to try the Brown Butter Potato first.

It was heavenly, flaky, airy, crisp, each bite melting in your mouth, leaving a warm brown-butter aftertaste.

My taste buds were already ascending before I even tried the Fermented Cheese with Zaatar, but wow, cheesy, salty, and so well-seasoned. Some cheese bourekas just taste like cheese-stuffed dough. This one has personality.

Between blending my limonana, the iconic food, the side salads and sauces, and the soft-boiled eggs with the most perfectly jammy yolks?

Yeah, Borekas is something special. I’m definitely coming back to try more of the menu. Stay tuned.

Based on what I had, I’m giving Borekas an 88. So unbelievably good. Best boureka in town, no doubt.

Next up, we’re sticking with finger foods but journeying into a totally different flavor universe, heading back into Pico for some Italian subs.

Borekas

@WeWantMoshiachNow Overall Score: 88/100

If The Sopranos Were Shomer, They’d Eat at La Bottega

I grew up in Italian delis. Italian subs were an almost daily diet throughout high school and college. So I had HIGH hopes for La Bottega.

“Unsure” would be an understatement describing my feelings before trying it. “Reluctant” might be better. Not because it didn’t look appetizing, their menu has been calling my name since they opened.

I was just nervous because my bar for this type of food is sky-high, and if it didn’t live up, it’d be a major disappointment.

Finally, deciding there was no choice, this week was the week.

The Godfather: “Half-pound shaved prime rib with crispy potato frites, arugula, caramelized onions, Bottega sauce, chimichurri, and stone-ground mustard budder” on house-made focaccia.

This thing blew my mind. From the first bite to the last. It reminded me of a steak sandwich I would get in Little Italy on my lunch break back in my Manhattan days.

The taste is legit. A huge feat. I haven’t had a sandwich like this since keeping kosher. So for LA’s kosher scene, it feels fresh, but for me, it’s pure nostalgia.

My family ate Italian food five nights a week growing up, including Sunday gravy almost every week. I might be the most qualified eater in the kosher world for this particular review.

A meatball parm sub was also part of my regular 14-day diet for probably 15 years. So the La Nonna, “Homemade meatballs smothered in signature marinara, topped with melted vegan mozzarella, served toasted on a crusty Italian roll,” was a must-order.

They also sell spaghetti and meatballs, which LA desperately needs, but no way was I going head-first into a bowl of anything without knowing what I was signing up for first. My bar is too high. And yet, now I have to try the spaghetti and meatballs.

I’m in the process of recreating my grandmother’s gravy recipe as kosher, so I’m a very tough meatball critic.

These meatballs were good! Some grocery stores in town sell those mushy, nasty ones for cheap, absolute no from me, dog. Miss me with that. But La Bottega is doing it right. I haven’t tried La Gondola, their sibling restaurant, but if this is what they’re doing, I’m going to have to.

It’s the running theme today, wishing I could try more of the menu. They have so many sandwiches and enough diversity that I may need to revisit.

As far as what I had, the food was stellar. The bread was soft, the meat moist, well-sauced, and seasoned.

Everyone knows my philosophy on price: if I rated on price, everything would be bad because everything is expensive. BUT, nearly 40 dollars for a sandwich does make you think twice. Perhaps The Godfather is a sometimes treat, not a daily lunch. That said, I’ll almost certainly be back within the month.

I think La Bottega deserves a 91 based on what I tried. A very high score for expertly made Italian deli sandwiches.

Compliments to the chef.

La Bottega

@WeWantMoshiachNow Official Score: 91/100

Oh my goodness, I’m stuffed. One vacation and suddenly I feel like I haven’t eaten this much in ages lol. I better get used to it because next week we’re going DEEP into a local hotspot, and they might even let us into the kitchen to cook up an exclusive Farbreng Gang menu item! Stay tuned for that when we’re back to our 3-page format, with photos from the legendary Jared Kahn. Until next time, I think that’s a review.

David Greenberg is a music industry professional, songwriter, and content creator.

You can follow him @WeWantMoshiach Now on TikTok, IG, and YouTube.

Hear his kosher pop music at soundcloud.com/WeWantMoshiachNow.

For all inquiries: WeWantMoshiachNow@thelajewishhome.com