Middle Eastern Sandwich Los Angeles Beef Tongue

Westwood Blvd is teeming with delicious Middle Eastern options, and a few weeks ago Squid Ink pitted two of the relatively new spots against each other in a shawarma sandwich boxing to the decease. (Technically both sandwiches "died" at the easily of a third party, merely one made its killer happier than the other.)  And even though Sunin was declared the winner over Alcazar Express I was left pining for the other sandwiches mentioned on Alcazar Express' menu.  Beef brain?  Lamb tongue?  I'thousand in that location.

(Don't worry squemish white meat chicken addicts…  there's that as well, afterward the jump.)

Every bit reported by Squid Ink, Alcazar Limited is an offshoot of the Encino based Alcazar- but don't let the name fool you.  Nothing near it is "limited".  The Lebanese restaurant is a sit downwards affair, with waiter service… and all the nutrient is cooked to order in the small man kitchen.  In other words, if you lot don't order ahead be prepared to wait.

They have a few $9.95 luncheon specials if grilled salmon, kebab, or shawarma platters interest you, only we were there for the tongue and brains! The sandwiches, which range in price from$7-9 are not huge,  but come with your choice of hummus, baba ghannouj, rice or salad- making the whole lunch totally filling, and completely worth information technology.

You likewise get olives and turnips, pickled in beet juice. (Plus bread, if you lot select the spreads over the salad or rice with your sandwich.)

Both the hummus and baba were both succulent (yous may say the secret ingredient is olive oil), especially if don't like your baba ghanoouj to be likewise smokey.

The beef brain was slightly common cold (think unsliced common cold cut), just parts of it were warm because the sandwich is pressed in french bread (almost like a Lebanese Cuban sandwich of sorts.)  Information technology wasn't bad, but could be weird if you're not expecting information technology.  Brains are not nearly as gross every bit they audio (in fact they're delicious), although if you lot are a brain virgin they are far easier to eat when they're fried (isn't everything?)  They have an almost creamy texture (also off putting if you're non expecting it) but a actually mild season- different, say, liver.   Mixed with the garlic sauce, pickles, and tomatoes it was a rich and delicious mess.

The brain was fine, but the lamb'southward tongue was even better.  It took so long to come out, it almost seemed like they were cooking the tongue to lodge. Non sure if that'south the example simply any they were doing back there for all that time, it worked.  If yous similar stewed lamb, y'all'll like this lamb's tongue sandwich.  It's tender, and lamby, and when information technology's cooked the style they practise it at Alcazar Limited it has none of the weird texture issues you go with something like cow's tongue cold cuts.   I usually would never say this, only it's a expert thing the sandwich is kind of modest… because between the richness of the meat, and the richness of their garlic spread, it was tough to finish.  (And even so somehow I managed to do it…)

Of class nosotros couldn't get out without trying the falafel.  Unlike the encephalon and tongue, which were served panini style, the falafel comes wrapped in pita bread.  I tend to adopt the fluffier pita that you get at Israeli falafel spots, to the sparse lavash you go from Lebanese places, but Alcazar'due south was good enough.   And their super flavorful falafel completely made up for it.  Keen alloy of spices, crunchy on the outside, but non dry at all on the within.

And now it's fourth dimension for the OBLIGATORY CHICKEN Order. When others meats are available, chicken would be my terminal choice.  Only I'k fully aware that chicken is top dog in this town, so whenever possible I volition attempt to order at to the lowest degree ane chicken item from every place I visit in an try to make this site more useful for everbody.

Alcazar has a number of chicken options, including the shawarma (which is one chicken I tend to love, due in no small-scale part to the fact that it's normally dark meat chicken and tends to be basted with its own fat) and lula kebab, which is a kofta-similar ground craven kebab with speices.  But tawook volition probably exist the society of choice for most "healthy" eaters, seeing as it is white meat chicken breast kebab.  Thankfully they Midtown Lunch'ify it in the Alcazar Signature sandwich, which is simply put, the skish tawook sandwich with french chips stuffed into information technology!

It doesn't look like much in this photo (that's whole lot of white) just if you lot like the idea of potatoes stuffed in your chicken kebab sandwich… you volition be all over this.

The only real complaint I have about Alcazar Express is that it takes so freakin' long.  And then if you lot're in a blitz for dejeuner, I would recommend calling ahead and placing your guild to go.  (And they still give you the olives and pickles and bread to become.)  And the lamb'southward tongue is worth the trip alone.  I'm non sure if it's the best i in Westwood, but I'm willing to sacrifice myself to detect out. What's that?  "The Guru" recommends the one at Canary in his 99 Things to Eat in Los Angeles before you die?  I'yard there.

THE +

• Falafel and chicken are fine, just I want some brains and natural language
• I didn't think I would like natural language, but their version is and then tender… almost similar lamb stew
• I dear garlic sauce!
• The hummus or baba ghannouj (with bread, pickles and olives) that comes with every sandwich makes this tiffin a complete steal

THE -

• Tongue?  Brains?  Spiral that…
• There are far meliorate Lebanese sandwiches on Westwood Blvd.
• The garlic sauce overwhelms everything else in its path
• I similar my baba ghanoouj super smokey.  There version is kind of banal
• This place takes WAAAAAAY too long for a quick lunch

Alcazar Limited, 1303 Westwood Blvd., 310-914-9777

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Source: http://midtownlunch.com/los-angeles/2010/03/18/brains-and-tongue-and-sigh-chicken-are-all-good-at-alcazar-express/