Maydan LA

This broadly Middle Eastern and North African restaurant is the namesake anchor concept of West Adams’ Maydan Market. Originally from Washington D.C., Maydan pulls from all over the culinary region with an approachable array of dips, kebabs, vegetables and mains guaranteed to please picky eaters and large groups with conflicting allergies and dietary restrictions; the restaurant even serves certified halal meat. To be honest, I can’t say that the fully hosted meal I had at Maydan was on par with Bavel, Saffy’s or even Skaf’s (which is technically purely Lebanese), but the sprawling, slightly more accessibly priced dinner menu and bustling atmosphere fills a particular price-quality niche that L.A. has long been missing. The $95 per person family-style tawle menu—Arabic for “table”—offers first-timers and overthinkers a dizzying, but thorough spin through the menu, with the option to try the Syrian seven spice lamb shoulder for an additional $20. I also enjoyed the restaurant’s take on mahalabia (milk pudding), which came topped with mixed seasonal citrus and finely crushed rose petals. It’s also worth noting that Maydan is the only concept within Maydan Market that offers full-service dining—so if that’s important to you, then I recommend dining here.