MidEast Tacos

"Mini Kabob chef-owner Armen Martirosyan’s Mexican Armenian pop-up, MidEast Tacos, has settled nicely into a permanent spot on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake. The menu reads like the ultimate Mexican Armenian mashup with falafel tacos, chicken quesadillas, and steak burritos. Each dish has a unique twist, like the shrimp burrito that’s served with Thai basil and toum, in addition to a more classic salsa roja. Add in an order of papas for the table — no meal here is complete without these crispy cottage fries tossed in Aleppo pepper." - Rebecca Roland

"The bar for impressive tacos in LA is high, but this Mexican-Armenian spot from the Mini Kabob team stands out like Zendaya at a red-carpet premiere. Wedged into a sliver of a space near Sunset Junction, MidEast Tacos folds smoky steak, chicken, and shrimp kabobs into flour tortillas to create clever fusion-y remakes served lunch through dinner. Takeout is big here, but the grilled meats are best eaten ASAP on the handful of streetside tables. Hefty rice-filled burritos taste like a Mini Kabob plate wrapped up (a good thing), quesadillas are decorated with Thai basil and chile arbol toum, and thick cottage fries come dusted in aleppo pepper. But we’d prioritize the simple falafel taco fresh from the fryer—made with three crispy cilantro-green nuggets with soft, steaming cores. " - nikko duren, brant cox, sylvio martins

"Mini Kabob chef-owner Armen Martirosyan has found a permanent home for his Armenian taco and burrito pop-up, MidEast Tacos, in Silver Lake. Burritos are available stuffed with the choice of shrimp, steak, or chicken, and come with rice, toum, salsa, and Thai basil. Make sure to order a side of crispy papas as well." - Rebecca Roland, Eater Staff

"MidEast might not be the first fast-casual spot to serve kebab tacos, but it's easily the most memorable. This tiny Mexican-Armenian spot from the Mini Kabob team folds smoky steak, chicken, and shrimp into tortillas and punches them up with thai basil and chile-spiked garlic sauce. Takeout is big here, but the grilled items are best eaten ASAP on the handful of streetside tables. Hefty rice-filled burritos taste like a Mini Kabob plate wrapped up (a good thing), while thick cottage fries are dusted in aleppo pepper. It’s all good, but the crispy cilantro-green falafel taco might be our favorite, at least when eaten hot from the fryer. " - brant cox, nikko duren, sylvio martins

"In a neighborhood with more fast-casual spots than fire hydrants, MidEast Tacos in Silver Lake is gloriously original. At this order-at-the-counter spot from the Mini Kabob team, you'll find clever Mexican-Armenian mash-ups with flavors that work so well together, they could probably fix bipartisan issues, the majority of breakups, and all those potholes on the 101. We’re most partial to the namesake kebab tacos, but every item on MidEast’s tightly edited menu has its charm. The main thing to consider—and what will most impact your experience—is how quickly you plan to eat them. photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp Wedged into a thin sliver of a building near Sunset Junction, MidEast Tacos is a pint-sized operation that’s 10% order counter and 90% sidewalk patio. Naturally, takeout is popular here, but the gooey quesadillas and hefty rice-filled burritos are best eaten ASAP on the handful of streetside tables. That’s because no matter how sturdy those takeout boxes might be, the smoky, juicy grilled meats and whipped chile arbol garlic sauce tend to lose a little of their luster during the drive home. Even our favorite falafel taco, which arrives fresh from the fryer, can go downhill once it’s cooled. Sidewalk tables are your only option at MidEast, and the best ones can be found next to the blue mural on the eastern side of the building. You'll be seated at a healthy distance away from the noisy traffic along Sunset, but still close enough to people-watch as members of the Zebulon crowd walk by in their saggy selvedge denim. photo credit: Jessie Clapp In the wrong hands, a Mexican-meets-Armenian menu might come across as a gimmick. But most of what you’re eating here is simply Mini Kabob’s greatest hits seamlessly remixed around a tortilla (corn or flour). Plus, MidEast is one of the few places in Silver Lake where a non-boring $15 lunch is not only possible, but the norm. And we can’t think of a more reliable spot for a low-key dinner before getting drinks at The Ruby Fruit or The Black Cat. Even if the rest of your night falls flat, MidEast’s food will have you ready to do it all over again. Food Rundown photo credit: Jessie Clapp Falafel Taco All of the tacos here are great (think open-faced shawarma with salsa on top), but this one is a stand-out. Each comes with three perfectly symmetrical cilantro-green nuggets with soft, steaming cores lined up on a housemade corn tortilla. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Steak Burrito The burritos at MidEast are approximately the size of a brick, and stuffed full like a clown car. We'd go with the steak—chopped into tender pieces cooked precisely medium-well—which tastes like a garlic-lathered Mini Kabob plate wrapped inside a grilled flour tortilla (a very good thing). photo credit: Jessie Clapp Papas These discs of fried potato are considered a side, but each order is so big two people could share and make it a meal. They’re thick-cut, dusted in aleppo pepper, and served with MidEast's toum arbol (garlic sauce with a touch of roasted chile) for dipping. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Shrimp Quesadilla Does this quesadilla taste good? Yes. Is it less exciting than the rest of the food at MidEast? Also, yes. The layers of snappy grilled shrimp, salsa, cabbage, and melted mozzarella between flour tortillas works well, but you’ve probably had something like it before. Share it with a group or skip. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Chicken Taco With its pliable flour tortilla and particularly smoky thigh meat, this is our second favorite taco on the menu. Slow-grilled on skewers, the chicken is cut into chunks and balanced with Thai basil and more of their chile-laced garlic sauce." - Nikko Duren