Explore Orange County’s Little Arabia By Crawling These 10 Delicious Destinations

"Bassam Abdallah runs this Iraqi restaurant in East West Shopping Center, named for a traditional clay oven. Orange walls are lined with Arabic art and photos. The restaurant serves a Halal menu of Iraqi comfort food classics: Tashreeb blankets tender lamb shank and puffy torn pita bread with bright tomato sauce. Masgouf zbeidi stars flaky butterflied pompano that’s grilled and then topped with sliced tomato and onion. Musakhan is spiced rotisserie Cornish game hen served on house-baked flatbread coated with onion, tangy sumac, almond slivers, and spices that cooks in the tannour before garnishing with mint leaves. Whole animal eaters will appreciate bacha, stewed lamb head served on bread that’s available by special order, and normally on weekends." - Joshua Lurie