Layla Fashionable Jordanian Restaurant Presents Grandma's Stuffed Grape Leaves

Layla, Chris Sayegh's new restaurant, attracts from the chef's Jordanian training and the cooking of his grandmother (and the restaurant's namesake). Opening March 7 on the bottom flooring of the Sonder Beacon Santa Monica resort, the restaurant provides to Los Angeles' dynamic Levantine delicacies scene that features locations like Ladyhawk in West Hollywood, Ammatoli in Lengthy Seaside, and Saffy's in East Hollywood. “I really like what my jedeh (grandmother in Arabic) did to convey folks collectively,” says Sayegh. “He made issues higher with out measurements. His thoughts, his contact and his hand are very a lot on the menu.

Jordan's traditionally important location alongside the Silk Highway has allowed the nation to attract culinary from throughout the area and create a melting pot of flavors, says Sayegh. This deep historical past will be seen in Layla's menu of shared dishes, similar to an aerated hummus sauce, labneh and smoked eggplant served with heat bread and crudites. Different notable appetizers embody warak dawali, Sayegh's grandmother's recipe for grape leaves filled with lamb, rice, tomato and a seven-spice combine, with duck confit kibbeh and marinated kohlrabi. The kibbeh options fried bulgar wheat balls included with dry duck, fermented Fresno chile sauce and pine nuts. Marinated kohlrabi is lower into paper-thin sheets with smoked foam, hemp seeds and pistachio dukkah including layers of taste and texture.

A golden plate decorated with Jordan and the Middle East is spread with a pita bread. — Half platter with wood bread, crudités and spreads.

For entrees, discover grilled barella with blood orange chermoula, lamb tagine with preserved lemon, and crispy za'atar chile cauliflower steak on the menu. Desserts embody knafeh with cinnamon ice cream and mille-feuille baklava with orange blossom ganache. Whereas LA eating places like Ladyhawk, Bavel and Kismet showcase Lebanese, Israeli, Palestinian, Iranian and Turkish cuisines, Sayegh needs Angelenos to pattern the particularly Jordanian dishes at Layla.

The modestly sized 1,800-square-foot eating room options clear strains, custom-cut stone tables, and Roman clay plate ceilings. Patterned chairs, darkish leather-based banquettes and plush indoor vegetation add a way of Previous World attraction, whereas massive home windows supply sweeping ocean views.

Wages for Layla's staff begin at round $19, with suggestions totally included. Sayegh employed a couple of staff from his former Nostalgia restaurant, which closed in 2023 abruptly as a consequence of circumstances past his management, he says. Layla's working accomplice, Boulevard Hospitality Group, which runs locations like Kodo in Downtown and Yamashiro in Hollywood, has absorbed further Nostalgia staff.

Along with opening Layla, Sayegh will introduce Coco Membership on the resort's rooftop in early April. Sayegh opened Hollywood bakery Good & Candy final February with Boulevard Hospitality Group.

Layla is open at 1301 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401, and serves Wednesday by Sunday, from 5:30 pm to 10 pm.