Atwater’s own Whole Food For Life’s additive, homemade lahmajuns

With Thanksgiving behind us, let’s get back to what really matters — discovering tasty things to try in L.A.’s Eastside! Do you remember that exuberant, bright yellow painted box on Los Feliz Blvd. you passed a million times? Well, it’s an organic market with some of the tastiest and best priced produce and ready to eat/grill goodies anywhere in L.A.

On busy Los Feliz Blvd. with ample street parking

After a lengthy makeover, Whole Food For Life in Atwater Village re-emerged as a community staple I find hard to live without. Let’s start with the most eye-opening: the modest lahmajun. I grew up recognizing this simple, yet incredibly addictive fancy tortilla as an “Armenian pizza.” Whole Food makes them fresh daily and by special request, you can pick up your made-with-family-love carby treat hot and fresh from the oven for less than a dollar.

I searched high and low while in Turkey and I swear, the Whole Food varietal is the tastiest. It’s the perfect fusion of meat, salt, onion, parsley and spices baked onto a doughy yet crispy vessel that can be rolled up and eaten wrap-like. I order them by the dozen (sometimes 2) and they rarely make it past 2 days ’round these parts.

Beef lula kebab: meaty, marinated goodness ready to grill

The second item to commit to memory: beef lula kebab. Outside of picking up marinated glabi and bulgogi from the Korean market, this is the easiest last-minute BBQ ever. It’s also prepared fresh daily and is as satisfying as Raffi’s at a fraction of the cost. Moist and brimming with flavor, you get the luxury of bringing your meat to a perfect charred medium-rare.

You can also pick up marinated lamb, chicken lula and beef kebabs, but the lula is the star and serves about 3 people per pound. Best part? You can look like a hero and make your guests think you slaved for hours preparing those delectable skewers.
Whole Food For Life, 3070 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 660-8144