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This Egyptian-Mexican Taquería in El Sereno Does Kofta Burritos and Falafel Sopes

After closing their first restaurant in Downtown L.A., Tirsa and Steve Farah opened Tirzah's Mexi-Terranean where they serve fusion dishes inspired by their home cooking.

1:39 PM PST on March 3, 2026

plates of sopes, nachos, and burritos

(from left) A plate of falafel sopes, Egyptian nachos, and the L.A. kebab burrito from Tirzah’s Mexi-Terranean. Photo by Erwin Recinos for L.A. TACO.

This video was created in collaboration with Erick Galindo, the Culture Editor of The L.A. Local, a nonprofit news organization that believes all Angelenos deserve useful news and information.

Tirsa and Steve Farah met 14 years ago while out clubbing. According to Tirsa, Steve didn’t quite pique her interest until he mentioned culinary school. They were both students at the now-closed Le Cordon Bleu, never fated to meet until a night out years later.

Now the couple owns and operates Tirzah’s Mexi-Terranean, a restaurant in El Sereno serving a mix of Egyptian and Mexican cuisine inspired by the food they enjoy at home.

Tirsa tells L.A. TACO that she determines whether the restaurant will be busy by measuring how much sun is out. Beautiful skies equate to crowds of customers, packing the small establishment.

Years ago, Tirsa and Steve ran a restaurant called Tirsa’s Mexican Cafe in Downtown L.A. before relocating and completely renovating the menu, the newest change being the inclusion of Steve’s family recipes from their Egyptian homeland.