Zaytinya lands in Los Angeles
José Andrés brings his Mediterranean masterpiece to the West side
After spending an entire year shuttling between LA and DC, I know that death and taxes aren't the only certainties in this life. The other is this: There will always be a long, loose strand of diners waiting for a table outside José Andrés' enduring Mediterranean masterpiece, Zaytinya.
For over 20 years, Zaytinya has pleased DC palates with a menu inspired by Greek, Lebanese, and Turkish flavors in an expansive space that takes up almost an entire city block in the middle of Penn Quarter. In the years since its meteoric debut in our nation's capital, two other locations have sprouted - both housed in Ritz-Carlton hotels - one in Miami Beach and the other in NYC. That is, until now.
On December 17th, Culver City welcomed Zaytinya's fourth location, snuggled into the ground floor of The Shay Hotel in what was formerly Etta. Although the new Culver location is just as expansive and grand as its DC ancestor (the original has a mind-boggling 400 seats), the high ceilings, massive patio, and dusty, sun-faded Mediterranean color palettes are markedly more modern and fresh in this newest addition to the José Andrés Group's stable of bangers.
As the host quietly guided my three friends and me to our large booth, our heads oscillated to suck in every sight and sound in the place, assessing as many of the tables lining our path to see what dishes we might want to have on our table, too. Spoiler: There were many.
Our server, crowned with a tight, jet-black bun, pointed at her favorite menu items with long, blue-glittered fingernails while reciting a warmer-than-standard welcoming speech. One thing about José Andrés restaurants, I've found, is that the quality of the service is just as uncompromising as that of the food, and Zaytinya Culver City is no different.
After a scene that resembled what I imagine how global trade negotiations might go ("I think we need two beet salads." vs. "What if we did two halloumis and the baba?" vs. "We need the kebab platter. Period." vs. I second the halloumi."), it didn't take long for tiny plates and bowls to start dribbling across the table.
A parade of appetizers started the show: two summer-colored beet salads, a plate of tangy dolmades that tapped directly into that sensitive salivary gland that sits in the divot just below the earlobe, four chubby slabs of seared halloumi so good people stopped talking, and orders of falafel, baba, hummus, Brussels sprouts all crowding the table with colorful Mediterranean flavor. Plates clinked and slid until each was picked clean, then they all disappeared to make way for the Final Boss: The Zaytinya kebab platter. Served family style, the kebab platter arrives with an array of three different types of meat (chicken, two preparations of lamb, and kofte) resting on a spill of garlic toum, a thick, citrusy Lebanese spread that pairs excellently with charred meats. It is a divine assortment of tender, flavorful meat that doesn't bust the gut (especially when divided between four semi-pro food fans).
Thank you for the fantastic meal and exquisite service, Zaytinya, and for opening a location on the West Coast, so air travel isn't required for more.
Zaytinya is located at 8801 Washington Blvd. Culver City, California. Reservations recommended.
