Farbreng With The Kosher Gang: Tahaluchah for Your Tastebuds, Pt. 2 – Cruisin' With Kedusha

Drives, Flights, and Big Bites: A Kosher Summer Adventure.

We’ve made it to peak summer, gang. The days are long, the weeks are flying by, and the 9 Days are fast upon us. No pun intended.

Not to worry, one of this week’s food reviews is fish, so we got you covered if you’re trying to do a little staycation. Because in case you missed last week’s episode of the Farbreng Gang, we’re traveling right now!

We’re on a mission to find the best kosher food in the world. We still have a lot of tasting to do in LA, but if you’re one of our out-of-town readers; we’re coming to you next!

Last week, we checked out Smash Grill in Phoenix, Arizona, and Boker Kitchen in San Diego, both earning an 87 out of 100, becoming our first-ever twin score.

We’re concluding our trip with one final drive up the PCH. We’re starting off back in San Diego with some absolute fire Israeli-fusion food, then heading back to LA where we’re eating fish tacos at Pitabu in Malibu.

First, let me tell you about a video I filmed in San Diego at Mega Glatt Mart. Truly the perfect place for your kosher needs if you’re traveling down to SD and need some provisions for your trip.

Three words: Kosher Snack Review. I went to town!! Kosher Doritos, Late Night Taco Flavor? Incredible. Bissli Remix? Classic yet different, living up to its name. Maybe you’ve had an Elite Milk Crunch bar, but for someone who only recently started keeping Cholov Yisroel..that thing is next level.

I get so full during these reviews, but when I sit down to write them, my stomach is growling immediately. Do you guys feel that too? Let me know. Email: Editor@TheLAJewishHome.com and let me know if our reviews make you hungry. I might even shout you out next time!

Now I think it’s time to get back on the road. That PCH traffic is brutal, and we got places to be!

Shall we return to San Diego and grab some elevated kosher street food?

This Kitchen’s Got Kavanah.

Repeat. After. Me. Asado. Laffa. Asado. Laffa. This is not a drill! Hamitbach Street Kitchen actually serves that on their menu! Located at 5664 Mission Center Rd #402, San Diego, this place is remixing what it means to be a Mediterranean restaurant.

Asado beef is South American, traditionally Argentinian. Laffa is undoubtedly Middle Eastern.

Cool fusion dishes like this, and classic favorites like shawarma or falafel, are all commonplace at Hamitbach.

The asado beef was prepared perfectly. Juicy, tender, melt-in-your-mouth type texture. It was even better than it sounds, if you can believe it.

The laffa was soft and tasted fresh. The hummus, tahini, even the charif were all packed with flavor. I love a charif that actually lives up to expectations, and man was it spicy! I wish this place was closer because I’d be coming here a lot.

I’m a big shawarma guy. This takes the thing I love and invents a whole different thing, using its DNA as a blueprint. It works so well too, I’ll genuinely be craving that beef for the next month at least.

The restaurant itself had a great vibe. Low-key, but the energy inside is still fun and very laid-back.

I was torn on the score for this one because it’s so good, I really wasn’t sure where it would live among my other reviews.

In the end, Hamitbach Street gets a 92 out of 100. It was exceptionally good. This gets a big recommendation from me.

If you’re traveling to San Diego, this is a must. Not just because there’s not a ton of options in town; I’m telling you, prepare to have your socks knocked off.

Until then, though, we have a bit of a drive to make.

Next Stop: Malibu.

Hamitbach

@WeWantMoshiachNow Official Score: 92 out of 100

Shluchim by the Sea.

Located at 22935 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA, Pitabu is right on the PCH and owned by the Chabad of Malibu, which is conveniently right next door.

One thing our Farbreng Gang readers may have noticed about me: if a restaurant has a signature namesake dish, I’m getting that.

For example: The Pitabu Signature Fish Tacos.

The fish was grilled to perfection, and this purple sauce they used was incredible. I still can’t put my finger on the taste profile of that purple goodness, but it was like a creamy, smoky barbecue sauce.

The tacos come wrapped in half-pitas instead of tortillas; a pleasant surprise because even the order of two tacos felt like a solid meal.

I usually don’t get dessert on reviews, because who knows, that might be a new category of reviews. This time, the chocolate chip cookies caught my eye. They looked really, really good, and the taste was even better.

However, I am obligated to be truthful, so full disclosure: I’m a soft cookie guy. Pitabu makes crunchy cookies. Nevertheless, they slapped almost the same.

This is going to be a high score day..again. You really shouldn’t think I’m giving away high scores. We’ve just been getting amazing food recommendations, BH, so the food has just been awesome.

For Pitabu, I’m going with a well-deserved 89 out of 100.

I already love coming to Malibu, and now I have one more excuse to make the drive.

I’m not sure if I’ll crave the fish or the purple sauce the most! That’s how good the sauce was. It can actually stand toe-to-toe with the protein, IMO.

What a beautiful day and an amazing meal, BH! The perfect way to close out our trip.

Pitabu

@WeWantMoshiachNow Burger Score: 89 out of 100

What a trip! BH! Another amazing week of kosher food and brachas! The Farbreng Gang is back in full effect in the next issue! With special guests, witty banter, and of course, some bold food reviews. Don’t forget to email Editor@TheLAJewishHome.com and let us know if these articles make you hungry! 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, IG, and YouTube.

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

For all inquiries: WeWantMoshiachNow@TheLAJewishHome.com