Chef Danny Elmaleh’s Japanese-Moroccan Family Favorites Reign at Gutsy Cleo (patra)

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Culinary mastermind, Chef Danny Elmaleh, shines with his award-winning sharable middle eastern plates at the third award-winning  Cleo location in Los Angeles, by sbe.   Every refined Japanese-Moroccan dish makes a statement, yet feels effortless and satisfying.  Even his older, original menu items, such as the shaved brussels sprouts, have stayed, if not a star, power from the Hollywood and the LA Live location in DTLA.

Elmaleh’s work honors the best of his associations with Los Angeles masters, French Josiah Citrin and Japanese Katsuya Uechi. (chef spotlight profile bio).  The Cleo menu categorizes the cuisine into small plates, kebabs, tangines, “from the land” and “from the sea”, desserts.  We were told that the food is the neighborhood customer draw in the 6,000 sq. foot Cleo, with the posh middle eastern decor, even with a snazzy bespoke cocktail bar ($15),  and a vertical, wine list.  After all the place is named after the sultry Cleopatra.

Our favorite bites: Cleo’s Garlic Shrimp on a bed of gigante bean purée infused with white wine and preserved lemon ($34).  The cushiony, gigantes (“giant” in Greek) are a dream, pureed.   “Plaki” is a popular ingredient in Greek cooking but usually blanketed in a tomato-based sauce.

Dining as performance:  The Harissa Tuna Tartare with avocado, orange, olive tapenade and lavash slabs to DIY ($14) starts as a deconstructed dish mixed together by the server.

A long list of stand-alone shareable, and compatible “miza” or small plates ($9-10).  No combination platters of the hummus, feta & Lebanahen, Babaganoush, Greek Salad, Freekeh Salad here.  The laffa bread, with its puffed up pita look, (upper right corner) scoops up every bit of the delectable sauces.

A Chef Elmaleh’s childhood favorite that he cooked in his father’s Haifa restaurant is the stand-out Duck Matzo Ball Soup with fresh pasta, confit duck, consommé broth, fresh herbs and lime ($9).

 

Not as successful is the sort of deconstructed Moussaka, and a lackluster Spanakopita ($9). We love minced food, especially a French-Canadian tourtiere, but here the flavors and the textures are muted and muddled. 

 

Chef Elmaleh’s interest in cross-cultural cuisine was first inspired by his experience growing up with a Moroccan father and Japanese mother.  The chef’s delicate Japanese hand combined with hearty middle eastern flavors made SBE restaurant fans of us in one meal.

 

Executive Chef Danny Elmaleh explained his menu officially, “The new dishes on this menu, from our duck matzo ball soup to our meatball tagine (served only at night) are directly inspired by my life, my heritage and the rich flavors of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. We’ve seen a great response from our restaurants where the new menu is live.”

(www.sbe.com) Cleo Third Street, 8384 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA  90048, (323) 579-1600. Cleo,  L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, 424-888-7818.