Elena's Greek Armenian Restaurant

I came to this little spot in Glendale when a friend who knows Armenian food invited me here. It’s a quaint little joint that has a unique energy running through it with Armenian techno playing in the background, which apparently everyone was used to. When we first got there, there were only a handful of people. But within minutes, it was as if we had called in the cavalry and the place was completely full with a quick turnaround and people grabbing their own to go boxes from the shelf to take back their leftovers. The wait staff appeared to be nice, but at times felt like I was being rushed to order something quick so they could rotate the tables quickly for more covers.

One thing I noticed that was interesting, was that instead of serving bread and butter or chips and salsa, they served a small plate with pickled cabbage and carrots.

Hummus- to start off our meal, the hummus was served with a big portion of pita bread. When it came to the dip, it had a good typical Mediterranean flavor to it with the paprika, tahini (sesame paste), the pungency of garlic, and the brightness of the lemon juice. The only thing I have to say that was negative about it is that it was drenched in olive oil. Olive oil is normally drizzled around as a garnish, but in this case it was a lake of olive oil floating on top of what otherwise would have been a great hummus.

Small Salad- The salad (if we can call it that), was sent as the precursor to the pork chops. It consisted of lettuce, tomato, English cucumbers, parsley, and… white onions? Aside from the fact that the salad had a good amount of onions in it, there was no dressing whatsoever in it- except for the water draining off the salad, forming a barrier between the food and the plate. Perhaps the soup would have been a better option.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich- Moist, tender cuts of char-grilled chicken breast traditionally seasoned with paprika and wrapped in flat bread. Then, layered with paprika paste, which is tomato paste and paprika mixed together, and (you guessed it) onions.

Grilled Pork Chops- They were served with rice pilaf, roasted tomato and banana pepper, and… again with the sliced onions & parsley? I’ve got to say the chops smelled amazingly delicious with wisps of the caramelized exterior seasoned with paprika tempting me with every step it got closer to me. They reminded me of the first time I had ever tried them at a friend’s family gathering some years ago. Nicely charred, but surprisingly not overcooked since they were thin cut chops. The rice had a rich, buttery feel to it with hints of turmeric and stock coming through.

Tarragon Soda- I saw the soda with its bright green color in their display case and instantly became curious about it. The smell was in between licorice and peppermint. Same with the taste, with hints of Dr. Pepper in the aftertaste.

If it’s one thing I learned, it is that the onion must be Armenia’s national vegetable, lol. Just note that if you are not into onions, definitely let them know or you will be stuck with at least one whole sliced onion on your plate, daring you to eat it and try to end a date with a kiss- won’t happen. But jokes aside, there are some things that could be fixed, but I am willing to come back and try some other dishes that did look pretty appetizing.