Momed Is A Modern Mediterranean Restaurant In Beverly Hills

Adding modern Mediterranean flavor to Beverly Hills

The fast-casual café concept is nothing new in L.A.: Places like Tender Greens and Lemonade have popped up all over town. But when you add Mediterranean flavors, like at Momed in Beverly Hills, it's completely novel.

On the surface, Momed is a stylish spot where you order at the counter and servers bring you your dishes. But the menu is full of Turkish, Greek and Lebanese influences that you don't often see at your regular grab-and-go.

The pides–chewy wood-fired flatbreads with toppings like buttery haloumi cheese, spicy soujuk sausage and piquillo peppers (pictured; $14)–are great pizza alternatives. With the wraps, house-made pita envelops tender roast duck and fig confit ($14) or juicy ground lamb koefte and sweet blistered tomatoes ($10). Get a crisp Keo lager (from Cyprus) to go with either one.

Choose any of the colorful salads from the case as a side, like chunky cinnamon-scented carrots, cucumbers with a sweet poppy-seed dressing or artichokes and fava beans with tangy lemon vinaigrette. A trio of these ($12) makes an excellent light lunch.

The mezze are particularly delicious, especially baleela (aka balila)–soft, spiced chickpeas swimming in brown butter sprinkled with toasted pine nuts ($8). The chef went all the way to Lebanon to find this dish, and for that, we're eternally grateful.

Momed, 233 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills; 310-270-4444 or atmomed.com