Mizlala Sherman Oaks

At least once a week, I find myself driving on Sepulveda Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, near the exit from the 405. Whether I am driving to or from my parents home, I pass by a handful of restaurants on the west side of Sepulveda Blvd. There is an Italian restaurant and a Katsuya izaka-ya, which I have been to, but I had not noticed the restaurant in between the two until now. Mizlala, which opened in 2016, is a family run restaurant serving modern Mediterranean cuisine and I now cannot stop going there. Mizlala is owned and run by Danny Elmaleh and his wife Justine. Danny took over the space, formerly known as Simon's Cafe, from his father, chef-owner Simon Elmaleh, when he retired. Danny Elmaleh had previously worked at Cleo and Doheny Room before opening Mizlala, which means "eatery in Hebrew". Open for lunch and dinner, Mizlala, which has a second location on West Adams, offers a flavorful menu of Mediterranean dishes that will tempt you. I can never decid what to have as everything looks and sounds so good and I have not ordered the same thing twice yet.