365 Places to Eat

I love to go to the Farmer’s Market at Third and Fairfax on a lazy weekend afternoon. It’s like a mall food court, but filled with places where you actually want to eat.

Moishe’s serves middle eastern cuisine — kabobs, falafel, and shwarma, hummous, baba ghanouj, taboule, food along those lines. My absolute favorite, though, are the grilled chicken wings. Ten wings are put onto two skewers and grilled over the flames. The wings have a mouth watering citrus marinade that tastes so good with the charbroiled smokiness.

The dinner plates come with two sides. The cold couscous salad is a must try and I also like to get the tomato-cucumber salad. I think the plate is $10-$11, not terribly cheap, but worth it. Also, if you park in one of the two non parking structure lots, you can get a validation.

Last time I was there, I watched the guy make the falafel. It was an interesting process as he formed the chickpea balls on the end of a small mallet and then quickly popped them into a wok full of bubbling oil. I am embarrassed to say that I haven’t tried their falafel, but rumor has it that they are top notch.

Moishe’s Restaurant
Farmer’s Market at Third and Fairfax, Booth 336

I have been going to Luna Park since shortly after the Los Angeles location opened on La Brea.

There is a lot to enjoy about Luna Park. The food is creative and comfortable, the drinks are crafted with care, the desserts are decadent and the prices wont decimate your wallet.

For those looking for a quiet and spacious dining experience though, this isn’t the place. The tables are packed in tight and the music can be loud, although the play list is usually quite enjoyable.

I have noticed that the Luna Park menu has evolved over time and seasonally. I haven’t seen one of my favorites, the risotto with tomatillo sauce and scallops in a while. Right now, in the winter, the risotto is butternut squash with wild mushrooms. The chicken has gone through a few iterations as well, and I recently enjoyed a half chicken braised with bacon. Like I said, comfort and creativity.

The mixed drinks are a treat, try the Chappaquiddick - Pomegranate Vodka Muddled with Orange, Lime and Cranberries and Topped with a Splash of Sparkling Wine. There’s even some good choices if you’re the designated driver - a rumless mojito and pomegranate cooler to name a couple. The friendly (sometimes) bartenders can help you out with your custom orders, although when one customer asked the man behind the bar what was in the Coconut Kiss, his reply was “I don’t know. You wouldn’t like it.” Could be true, but funny to hear.

We used to stop by Luna Park just for desserts. Their cobbler was one of the best around, but isn’t on the menu right now. The make your own smores are clever, but more gimmick than good. The fried apple pies are good though, served with a side of ice cream.

Luna Park is reasonable, particularly when the quality of the food is considered. Entrees are under $20 and are more than enough food to fill your belly.

One note on parking. We regularly get a spot on La Brea. Read the signs carefully to make sure that you wont get a ticket, but you can avoid the valet charge most of the time.

Other Luna Park Write Ups

• Delicious Life
• Famished LA
• L.A. is My Beat
• Rate a Restaurant

Luna Park
672 S. La Brea (near Wilshire)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
phone: 323.934.2110
hello@lunaparkla.com