New Hasiba’s Vision of Trending “Ancient” Middle-Eastern Cuisine

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Tiny new Hasiba restaurant defies almost all rules for a successful restaurant. The is short menu is literally contained to ten dishes with two dozen seats cramped indoor seating and another dozen outside.  Israeli and Moroccan dishes rule the menu, and kosher vegetarian ones at that.  Adding to this esoteric character is Hasiba’s decor that could define “half finished”, with bleary light every bit as ghostly as the coal bin in the Grand Hotel scene emanating from the back where the pita hearth is enthroned.  But, oh, what pillowy, delicately crusted pita comes out of that oven!

And oh what flavor-layers are in every one of the dishes that dedicated owner-partners, Israeli Or Amsalam and Alexander Phaneuf tracked down all over Israeli.  “Hasiba,” in fact, is named after an aunt of Or’s who “ruled the kitchen.”All items on the Hasiba menu are priced at an affordable $10 to 13, even using the higher priced ingredients and after following all the kosher regulations.

The flavor-packed dishes and hospitality draw crowds daily.   The cry around town and from the neighborhood friend who took me here to Hasiba is, “They have the best hummus!” This turned out to be true for presentation and for taste.   We ordered the eggplant hummus plate option, which comes ties pita.  Other options include chickpeas, wild mushrooms, eggplant or heirloom carrots, all  with dukkah olive oil inventively swirled into the middle.  Dukkah is an Egyptian condiment used in middle eastern dishes,  a mixture of herbs, hazelnuts, and spices, usually served as a bread or veggie dip.

Their shakshuka ($13) turns out to already be a star on the Lodge Bread menu in Culver city is the best I’ve ever eaten, with stewed tomato, sweet peppers and farm eggs.  There is heat but not spiky heat just enough to heat up the sweetness of the pepper.  Both shakshuka and hummus come with  grilled pita bread right out of the oven that is considered the city’s best.

Hefty, earthy  sandwiches packed solid with earthy combinations created from the owners’ extensive research all over Israel start with the wildly popular Sabich Sandwich.  A fresh pita is stuffed with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, tahini, parsley, mango relish, and cucumber salad. The famous Israeli sabich sandwich started as a home tradition on the sabbath with all the components cooked before Sunday on Friday.  The fresh puffy pita is soft as wonder white bread inside its floury crust.

Hasiba offers five salads. The Israeli salad is not finely chopped and adds pieces of carrot to the tomato, cucumber and herbs.  A roasted cauliflower salad adds chermoula raisins and tahini for an exotic twist.

The small 1,000 square foot space next door to the famous Nick’s cafe has a fence around each outdoor patio area for a more finished look with happy diners visible to cars going by and lending a contented buzz when you walk in the door.  Order at the counter from a well-informed very business-like young man at an order counter (who was toweling off flatware while he answered questions) who also brings the food to you.  Well informed, he was happy to bring extra plates and more water and to answer questions.  And, by the way, happily, the plates are china plates and the flatware is real.

Owners Or Amsalam and Alexander Phaneuf  have been creating a sensation since they opened Lodge Baking Company in Culver City, L.A. with its stunning loaves of whole grain spelt, whole wheat and whole quinoa, crafting their loaves with a 16-hour fermentation process with wild yeast, in a San Francisco sourdough tradition that results in a wholesome loaf with a heavy sensation of sweet wheat.  Again, hospitality and outstanding fresh bread make it a destination dining place.

Hasiba hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday to Thursday.   Closed Friday at sundown and Saturday for Shabbat.

Hasiba. 8532 Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90035, (424-302-0225)