This Lebanese Cafe in Granada Hills Serves LA’s Most Intriguing Fruit Cocktails | Eater LA

"Tucked in a Granada Hills strip mall, I discovered an utterly unique Lebanese cafe that showcases ashta — a slow-churned custard of milk and heavy cream — in creative fruit cocktails, smoothies, plates, and pastries. Brothers Mel and Charlie Succar, who also run the nearby FurnSaj Bakery, stress patience when making ashta, and the result is a silky custard that pairs perfectly with fruit and nuts: Panna Avocado ($8.99) is particularly impressive, with ashta blanketing a plate topped with a fan of avocado, sliced banana, crunchy shaved almonds, crushed pistachios, and a generous drizzle of honey. Their massive fruit cocktails arrive in goblets fit for a medieval mess hall — Beirut Exotic ($5.99–$9.99) combines creamy avocado “juice,” mango, strawberry, papaya, grapes, cantaloupe, banana, watermelon, kiwi, and guava, finished with ashta, crushed pistachios, and honey. All smoothies use a nutty almond milk base (whole and 2% milk are available), and offerings like the Dakota ($7.99–$8.99) blend almond milk, banana, granola, dates and even whey protein, with $1 toppings such as turmeric, goji berries, and flax seed powder. Their menu also includes gelato sourced from a local family-run Italian maker and açaí bowls made from fresh Amazon-sourced juice turned into slush; seating is minimal (a few chairs at a wood table) and the shop is designed for grab-and-go, making it a great stop for hikers and cyclists looking for a substantial but not heavy meal." - Eater