"Sam Dumanyan is from a small town called Jrvezh located east of Yerevan in Armenia. He had a restaurant there and after he moved to Los Angeles, opened his eponymous restaurant in Van Nuys in 2021. Sam’s Kebab touts waterfall and blue-sky photo murals and specializes in skewers that he plucks from an enticing display case by the register and grills over charcoal either out back or in front. Simply seasoned, expertly grilled kebabs include pork ribs, lamb chops, and beef lule topped with chopped cilantro and red onion and served with fluffy rice pilaf, grilled tomato and jalapeño, lavash, and a colorful Armenian summer salad with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers tossed with a light vinaigrette." - Joshua Lurie