Zaytinya - Review - Culver City - Los Angeles - The Infatuation
"Zaytinya is a perfectly serviceable hotel restaurant on the first floor of The Shay in Culver City. This DC import from chef José Andrés looks like an upscale villa and is a convenient spot to pick at mezze after a late check-out, while admiring expensive-looking light fixtures, leafy plants, and a glossy bar with backlit shelves that are stocked with bottles of anise-y, Greek booze. The best part about dining here is the endless supply of puffed-up pita bread, which servers deliver baskets of as they roam around the dining room. The menu lists lots of bold ingredients like spicy soujouk, marash pepper, and bone marrow-filled kibbeh, but most dishes land on the milder side, and will mostly leave you double-dipping into the spreads and sauces for flavor support. That said, if you’re staying overnight at The Shay, need a fancy spot to take a client, or want to sip a citrusy cocktail as you rip and dip into hummus, Zaytinya works. Just know that you’ll be here for a while—things move at the pace of a vacation with your aunt who wants to take a picture with everything in sight. Food Rundown photo credit: Emily Schindler Hommos Ma Lahm The hummus itself is a tad bland, but the spiced ground lamb and pickled vegetables save it from falling flat. photo credit: Katrina Frederick Soujouk Pide This pide would work well for breakfast (there’s a lot of egg). But most of the flavor comes from the soujouk slices, and the flatbread doesn’t add much beyond structural support. photo credit: Maya Muldrew Fattoush A great addition to the table. This fresh, lemony salad reminds us of summer, with a ton of crunch from cucumbers raw green peppers, and pita chips. photo credit: Emily Schindler Garides Me Anitho A must order. The plump, nicely cooked shrimp come drenched lemony dill sauce that’s worth mopping up with extra pita. photo credit: Maya Muldrew Kebab Platter This $60 dish is a convenient way to sample four different kebabs—lamb, kofte, chicken and adana— but the condiments and pickled veggies are the best parts of the dish. The meat is inconsistent, with some bites that are tender and others a bit tough. Slather on a bunch of garlicky toum or scoop on tabbouleh to smooth things out. video credit: Maya Muldrew Galatopita This dessert is more chaotic than traditional galatopita, but it’s a fun, slightly theatrical finish. A scoop of apple sorbet sits atop of a crunchy sheet of almond-studded phyllo that you crack with a spoon, revealing a delicious caramelized apple custard that’s oddly reminiscent of baby food (in a way we don’t mind)." - Cathy Park
