Find Gorgeous Roast Pigeon at El Mahroosa, an Egyptian Restaurant and Hookah Lounge in Anaheim | Eater LA

"Under the Eye of Horus logo with its bright blue iris—flanking the entrance and appearing above three pyramids—I discovered an exciting Egyptian restaurant and hookah lounge in Anaheim’s Little Arabia that leans heavily into history and comfort food. El Mahroosa (which translates as “The Protected”) even links itself to an 1869 yacht of the same name on its website; Samir Elshahed opened the place five years ago amid a growing Egyptian-American community. The sprawling menu covers the Arabic diaspora—dips, falafel and kabobs—but several uniquely Egyptian dishes make a detour worthwhile: hamam mahshy ($25.99) is a roasted pigeon with rich dark meat and bronzed skin stuffed with glutinous rice and toasted vermicelli, punctuated by tiny organ meats “no larger than pencil erasers,” served with extra rice and two soups (a simple onion-and-tomato broth and molokhia, a bright green, naturally slimy soup made from chopped jute leaves); house-made mombar ($14.99) are thick natural-casing beef sausages filled with ground beef, rice, herbs and warming spices (I tasted clove); hawawshi ($11.99) are pita discs filled with juicy ground beef and lamb, char-grilled until crispy and served with cooling cucumber yogurt and chopped parsley; kushari ($12.99) is a mountain of rice, macaroni and lentils crowned with crispy fried onions (they ran out of their “special” tomato sauce and substituted hot sauce—my server warned “Watch out, it’s very hot,” though it proved only medium heat—and they also offered dga, a cloudy lime-and-garlic slurry that brightens the dish). For dessert, om ali ($7.99) arrives in a big clay bowl as a surprisingly light, baked-to-order bread pudding with creamy custard and a lacy golden-brown top, finished with coconut, pistachios, toasted almonds, walnuts and sultanas. The dining room is airy up front for quick bites, with a covered patio (corrugated metal roof) set up for longer sessions and hookah; Egyptian songs stream on flat-screen TVs via YouTube and framed photos and paintings of Egypt add to the homesick charm. Overall, the food felt like time-tested Egyptian comfort food—bright, boldly spiced in places, and comforting in others—and the decor and music complete the experience." - Eater