Anaheim’s Palestinian Bakery Offers Rare Taste of Middle Eastern Phyllo Pastries | Eater LA

"I discovered a tiny strip-mall shop where Asem Abusir spins kataifeh on a giant wheel—using century-old family recipes—to produce knafeh that literally shines like orange gold (likely from saffron, though he’s secretive about his methods). He offers two main versions: crispy slabs ($5 each) layered with kataifeh pastry, stretchy white cow’s milk cheese he makes in-house, a healthy glug of house-made simple syrup, and crushed pistachios; and a soft, buttery knafeh made with a different dough for those who don’t crave crunch. For Lebanese customers he also serves sesame-studded discs with the airy texture of Jerusalem bagels so you can tuck knafeh in and eat it like a sandwich. His family has made knafeh in Nablus for 100 years and still runs a shop in Jerusalem plus five in Jordan; Abusir himself left a 30-year IT career to become a pastry pro in 2013. The case also features other Middle Eastern favorites—textbook baklava (which he dismissively calls “almost more American than Middle Eastern”), hareeseh with nuts ($3.50), helbeh ($2.50) studded with fenugreek, balourieh ($4) of kataifeh and rosewater, and creamy refrigerated treats like roz bhaleeb and halawet jebn filled with ashta. The shop is intimate—two sidewalk tables and five small tables inside, yellow walls hung with photos of Nablus and his old family home—and before you leave Abusir often pours concentrated Turkish coffee from a long-handled urn while telling a story, serving cups with sooty bottoms and minimal foam." - Eater