MOMED’s Extraordinary Immigrant Wednesday Dinner Feasts

Alex Sarkisian, owner-found of MOMED

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Owner-founder Alex Sarkisian’s idea of MOMED-hosted Immigrant Dinner’s was to highlight an immigrant friend’s family recipes.  It was so successful that the exquisite dinners titled “The Immigrant Dinners”  became part of LA Times Food Bowl for the third successful time this year.  Dinners are scheduled for  every Wednesday in May with a different menu each week.

Passionate talented guest chef,  Bita Milanian, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at Ribbon & its Kandy.io division, shares her family’s treasured recipes. The feast was prepared in MOMED’s kitchen under the direction of new Executive chef, Chef Drew Adams.   Italian chef, Mariza Rosetto Polidori’s Italian dishes were featured another evenings.

The event mission fit right in with Bita’s other multi-talented  talents,  and one of her biggest passions and missions:  “to bring communities together through arts and culture.”

Dishes are made “to share” although one is enough for a meal.

Insalata de Funghi (mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, pernod)

Kufteh, beef & rice balls with barberries, split peas, fresh herbs and walnuts)

Our server pointed out the barberries (middle), a staple of Iranian cooking

Brasato con Polenta (braised brisket, parmigiana reggiano, mascarpone)

Baghali Polow Mahi (Atlantic Salmon with saffron & dill basmati rice, citrus)

Bita Milanian will be shared her menu on May 29 along with her fellow guest Chef Marzia Rossetto Polidori, whose dishes are featured on other nights. Persian disco funk was presented by DJ Omid Walizadeh, a special DJ collaborating with this event.

Editor’s note:  We have never written up MOMED although we have been going there as customers and customer guests since they opened ten years ago.  So we are happy to share our experiences here.  We remember as though minutes ago, talking with owner-founder, Alex Sarkisian, who funneled all of his expertise in the schmata business in DTLA to create a business almost as successful from the instant it started as the Cheesecake Factory on the same street across Wilshire.  We always viewed Armenians as “they work hard and they work hard,” with play being “work.”

Chef Bita with “her better half.”

Chef Mariza Rossetto

For more information, please click this direct link to LA Food Bowl’s page: //lafoodbowl.com/events/the-immigrant-dinners/ Parts of the proceeds will be donated to a number of non-profit organizations that focus on supporting refugees, such as Pars Equality Center.

The airy, Mediterranean restaurant is a total surprise, just as the Beverly Hills Drive location was when it opened.   The Beverly Hills location photos made it look huge and inviting when it was a very plain wrap place in which the comfy outdoor patio with cushioned banquettes is the place to be.  Similarly, when we arrived at what we imagined would be a small storefront similar to the Beverly Hills Drive place, we were greeted with a huge, airy, outdoor venue in the middle of a pleasant residential area.

The staff is so professional and helpful. We remembered Benjamin from our visit to the Beverly Hills Location. Benjamin at MOMED in Atwater, and in Beverly Hills last winter when he was so happy to give us his name!