Restaurant Guide: Southeast Los Angeles

Photo Credit: Memo Torres

Kobee Factory and Syrian Kitchen

Wafa Ghreir’s kobee is a glorious thing, a mix of buglar, beef, pine nuts and seasonings patted into a thick round and grilled. That’s the template, anyway; she also offers variations on the theme, including a vegetarian version, a fried version that is lighter and more delicate than you might expect, and a supersized version cooked in a 12-inch skillet. Most days, you can find Ghreir in the kitchen cooking up a row of kobees, or at the front counter, taking or packing orders and thanking you for waiting even though it wasn’t that long of a wait at all. In addition to the kobees flying off the grill, the other Syrian dishes are popular here, too, especially the mjadara, a combination of bulgar and lentils pulled together by a generous heap of fried onions. The crowd in the compact space tends to almost include at least a few people waiting for the car to be serviced at one of the several auto shops nearby, and you might start thinking about getting your oil changed around here, too, just to have an excuse to drop by. —TN

14110 Oxnard St, Van Nuys, CA 91401, Van Nuys
(424) 354-4794
https://www.instagram.com/kobee_factory