Kismet

We hadn’t reserved so were seated on the corner of the low bar at the back which was actually very private and comfortable. Everything on the menu looked delicious. Everything we orderedwas delicious. We shared 4 or 5 dishes, the jeweled rice, persian cucumbers and the spice carrots all stand out in my memory though every flavor was exquisite. Perhaps the only disappointment was a dessert which was a little over-sweet and unremarkable. This place is well above the average in Los Angeles for quality, and it’s service and attitude lacks much of the pretension that mars some of the cities’ better restaurants.

Delicious food and great service. When you want brunch that is a little different give this place a try. Must try the tahini-nutella toast. Only downside is the parking situation or lack of BUT worth it for the food!

We arrived for our reservation at 7:30 and the table was not ready. We were shown to a standing table which put us out of the way from the front door to wait. Our waiter asked my guest if she would like a beverage. As we were seated about 10 minutes later he brought her $17 small glass of wine. The waiter did not acknowledge me or ask if I would like a beverage. Much later he came back to the table and asked if I would like a beverage. I ordered a beer and about ten minutes later I needed to remind him of my order. The service was suspect at best. The meal was delicious but quite overpriced. We had spiced cashews that were over cooked and really quite bland at $7. We also ordered the Persian cucumbers which was delicious but extremely diminutive in size for $13. We also ordered the kabocha squash which was also delicious but there were only three pieces of squash for $17. Our final dish was the crispy rice with egg yolk at $15 which was also good. I can't get over a plate of rice and an egg yolk for $15. The rice was served on a plate with a very low edge. Very pretty but half the rice fell to the table while serving it. To top it off the add a 20% service charge to the bill. When all was said and done dinner a glass of wine and a beer with service charge was $94 and I left hungry. Overall the 3 rating might be generous.

This restaurant is a true gem, serving up a delicious modern take on middle eastern cuisine. Everything that we ate was delicious, but the fried cauliflower and crispy sticky rice stood apart. I would go back to Kismet just for these dishes. Overall, the dishes are simple, expertly made with excellent fresh ingredients. They have a lot of vegetarian friendly options too, which is important for me. Finally, the service was really friendly and helpful. Will be back.

Excellent Mediterranean food with a twist. The chopped eggplant is almost as good as mine. My recipe was from my Romanian mother-in-law who brought her wooden chopping bowl when they escaped to America before the war. I'm taking one star off for the price, but it is Hollywood after all. I walked to Kismet from Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, where I was working for two weeks.