House of Mandi - Yemeni Restaurant -مطعم بيت المندي اليمني

"Sarem Mohamed presides over this Yemeni restaurant that replaced Olive Tree in late 2020. Waving Yemeni and U.S. flags greet diners, who can eat on a spacious patio or indoors, which showcases traditional memorabilia and offers both tables and chairs, or jalsa, colorful cushioned floor seating traditionally seen in Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. Chicken and lamb plates come with Mandi rice, fluffy grains featuring shaved almonds, carrot strands, raisins, and fried onions. Mova is a flaky, butterflied, oven-baked white fish served with Yemeni sauce, a tomato-based, chile-flecked slurry that diners can spoon over the accompanying rice. Hrada Of Fahsah, a dish from Sana’a, Yemen’s largest city that sports a high elevation of over 7,200 feet, is a shredded lamb and beef stew that arrives in a bubbling stone vessel. It’s topped with hilba (frothy whipped fenugreek) and sliced green chilies, and comes with one massive Yemeni flatbread that’s similar to laffa — chewy at the edges and crispy at the center. House of Mandi is also adept at shareable large plates designed for anywhere from three to 18 people, featuring Mandi rice and proteins like roasted young lamb (anywhere from a quarter to a whole animal) and an array of mixed meat combos. So don’t be afraid to bring a crowd. (Note: the restaurant had expanded to Westwood in March 2024, but has since cut ties) — Joshua Lurie" - Joshua Lurie, Anne Marie Panoringan

"Between family visits to theme parks or HR summits at the convention center, there’s a good chance that, if you’re in Anaheim, you’re with a lot of people. And that makes finding a big group dinner spot important. Head to House Of Mandi. This Yemeni restaurant in Little Arabia is a community tentpole where showing up with a crowd is almost mandatory. We say that because the menu centers around namesake mandi spreads that feed 3 to 18 people. You’ll find them made with tender whole roasted lamb, chicken, or fish, piled on a mountain of fragrant rice with soft Yemeni bread you can measure by the yard. Also, it feels like a typo, but this place is open nightly until 4am. Do with that information as you will." - brant cox

"Between family visits to theme parks or HR summits at the convention center, there’s a good chance that, if you’re in Anaheim, you’re with a lot of people. And that makes finding a big group dinner spot important. Head to House Of Mandi. This Yemeni restaurant in Little Arabia is a community tentpole where showing up with a crowd is almost mandatory. We say that because the menu centers around namesake mandi spreads that feed 3 to 18 people. You’ll find them made with tender whole roasted lamb, chicken, or fish, piled on a mountain of fragrant rice with soft Yemeni bread you can measure by the yard. Also, it feels like a typo, but this place is open nightly until 4am. Do with that information as you will." - Brant Cox

"Sarem Mohamed presides over this Yemeni restaurant that replaced Olive Tree in late 2020. Waving Yemeni and U.S. flags greet diners, which can eat on a spacious patio or indoors, which showcases traditional memorabilia and offers both tables and chairs, or jalsa, colorful cushioned floor seating traditionally seen in Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. Chicken and lamb plates come with Mandi rice, fluffy grains featuring shaved almonds, carrot strands, raisins, and fried onions. Mova is a flaky, butterflied, oven-baked white fish served with Yemeni sauce, a tomato based, chile-flecked slurry that diners can spoon over the accompanying rice. Hrada Of Fahsah, a dish from Sana’a, Yemen’s largest city that sports a high elevation of over 7,200 feet, is a shredded lamb and beef stew that arrives in a bubbling stone vessel. It’s topped with hilba (frothy whipped fenugreek) and sliced green chilies, and comes with one massive Yemeni flatbread that’s similar to laffa — chewy at the edges and crispy at the center. House of Mandi is also adept at shareable large plates designed for anywhere from three to 18 people featuring Mandi rice and proteins like roasted young lamb (anywhere from a quarter to a whole animal) and an array of mixed meat combos. So don’t be afraid to bring a crowd." - Joshua Lurie