Quick Bite: Wood Firms Up Silver Lake Pizza Competition

What: Wood Handcrafted Pizza
Where: 2861 W. Sunset Blvd. at Parkman -- you can't miss it if you look for the giant Tom's Burgers sign
The Goods: Wood was launched a few months ago by Erik Martirosyan, whose family started Big Mama and Papa's Pizza in Hollywood and famously delivered to the Dolby theater while the Oscars were in progress. Wood is a higher-end artisan pizza place with a larger menu of appetizers and salads, and beer and wine coming in a few weeks.

wood-burning oven behind the prep counter

The Neapolitan-style pizzas range from basic margarita ($12) to arugula and prosciutto ($17) to the Ellen special with vegan cheese, avocados, balsamic glaze, etc. ($21). At a recent tasting, I found the tender, stretchy crust quite appealing, dotted with crispy spots from the wood-burning oven. The lamb sausage-topped pizza is a savory nod to the owner's Middle Eastern heritage. I didn't try too many appetizers but I liked the grilled broccolini. Overall this is a very competent Neapolitan-style pie.

Lamb sausage pizza

 The Look: Very spare. Though no traces of the burger joint remain, the room could use some art or homey touches.
What to Order: lamb sausage pizza, mushroom pizza, prosciutto pizza, broccolini. Here's a link to the menu.
Would I Return: Perhaps. There's no delivery, plus we're still pretty jazzed about De Sano. But that crust was pretty compelling. There is a small parking lot in the rear.

(I was invited to try this restaurant.)

El Condor: The Mexican Restaurant -- And Margarita -- We've Been Waiting For

El Condor is brightened up now, with some cool lighting fixtures

Change is hard for some people. Particularly for the faithful customers of gaudy, goofy, El Conquistador, who apparently loved their neon-green margaritas, paper decoration-festooned ceilings and ho-hum Mexican fare. Those former customers might not warm to El Condor, the completely new restaurant in the same Sunset Junction spot.

Best.margarita.ever.

But they would be very shortsighted. El Condor comes from the owners of Bar Covell and L&E Oyster Bar, who have done much to bring better food and drink to Silver Lake and Los Feliz.

Pambazo sandwich with chorizo

El Condor is just what a neighborhood Mexican restaurant should be: a place to get a killer margarita, some delicious chips and maybe something more, with a cool ambiance. The restaurant attracts a crowd as stylish as at the owners’ other spots, and it’s not unusual to see a well-known actor or two. But it’s still easy to drop in for a lazy Sunday happy hour drink (4 p.m.-6 p.m. nightly) or family dinner after the Tuesday farmer’s market.
The whole restaurant has been opened up, stripped down and cleaned up, and the decor is now a groovy — but not kitschy — mix of colorful Mexican tiles, carved-wood window frames and a distinctive brass and frosted glass chandelier.

Carnitas taco plate

The Mexican dishes have a California sensibility, and while they're a far cry from gloppy old-school beans and rice plates, the menu is fairly small and not terribly adventurous. Tortas, quesadillas, tacos and enchiladas are the centerpieces, but there’s also a few main dishes, like a carne asada or chicken plate ($18) and a pricier fish plate. Salads include a fine chopped combo of grilled corn, peppers, avocado, beans and queso fresco, and kale with pepitas ($12), because Silver Lake.

Start with a bowl of crispy, just-fried chips and salsa. If you’ve already ordered the tart and potent house margarita, you may have a hard time ever leaving. Or try La Llorona, a super-refreshing and unexpected combination of mezcal, hibiscus, ginger beer and pineapple, or the spicy Amor y Chile cocktail that packs a dual mescal and tequila punch. Guacamole is also first-rate and if you add a gooey pot of Queso Flameado (baked Oaxacan cheese) with savory mushrooms or chorizo on top, you might be tempted to stop right there. The torta sandwiches ($13 to $14) are messy but fun, especially the Milanesa — just the thing to pair with a Michelada. Soft tacos ($12 to $13) are served three to a plate on homemade, organic tortillas with quality meats with tangy pickled vegetables. Flavors can be a bit restrained, but adding some of the housemade salsa should fix that.
Prices may seem a bit high but are on par with other neighborhood Mexican restaurants that have full bars. The difference here is that not only is the food fresher and prepared with more care, the terrific cocktails blow away most of the others. Sure, it’s the new Silver Lake, but it’s one we can get behind.

This review first appeared in the Los Feliz Ledger. Click through to see how many forks El Condor received.

El Condor
3701 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, (323) 660-4500

Quick Bite: Momed Puts a New Spin on Middle Eastern in Atwater

What: Momed
Where: 3245 Casitas Ave., Atwater (Atwater Crossing), 323.522.3488The challenge: Get diners to remember that the hidden-away art/industrial complex is a worthy lunch and dinner destination and compete with nearby Glendale old-school Middle Eastern spots.

Soujouk flatbread and lamb burger

The goods: Momed started out with a modern take on Mediterranean dishes from Lebanon, Israel and the like several years ago in Beverly Hills. Now it needs to convince Eastsiders that Middle Eastern doesn't just mean Zankou. Using the oven that turned out flatbreads in the space's previous incarnation, Momed puts a Levantine spin on flatbreads (called pide) and makes puffy homemade mini-pita bread.Traditional dishes like shwarma are updated into duck shwarma sliders, while tabbouleh turns into a quinoa and kale version and hummus adds avocado. Plus, there's Lebanese and craft beer and wine.

crispy squash blossoms with falafel

The look: Atwater Crossing has always looked a bit improvised, but Momed has spiffed up the space with Moroccan tiles and an  indoor dining area to complement the huge, breezy patio that's a favorite with families.
What to order: Lamb burger, eggplant ikra, soujouk flatbread
Would I return? Definitely for a beer and flatbread on the patio on warm summer evening; in winter, the restaurant plans to add curtains and heaters. I'll have to try more dishes to decide whether updated Mediterranean is just as satisfying as the dishes at Carousel, Marouch and Elena's.

(I was invited to try this restaurant)