Barsha — Restaurant in Hermosa Beach

I was pleasantly surprised upon arriving at Barsha, located in an obscure parking lot this hidden gem offers amazingly delicious Tunisian delights. We were greeted by the owner Adnen Marouani, who was so funny and kind. We decided to sit at their outdoor makeshift patio (made during covid, thankfully stuck around to seat more customers and of course makes them dog friendly). The décor and restaurant itself are absolutely beautiful. The location is only a few blocks from the beach and guess what… you don’t have to look or pay for parking! I would suggest coming with a big group of friends and ordering a few items from each of the categories. Ordered Tunisian Bruschetta – Tuna Conserva, chick pea mash, tomatoes, cucumbers, hardboiled egg. Roasted Eggplant – Heirloom tomato, caramelized onion, balsamic, almond Stewed Chickpeas-Meshouia, feta, crusty bread Braised beef cheeks- Slow braised beef cheeks on creamy polenta served with arugula and crispy shallots Hot fudge (probably wrong name) – Gluten free chocolate cake and Tunisian date, scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with out fudge. We wanted to thank the Chef so the owner brought his wife out. Chef/Co-owner Lenora was so fun to chat with. Can’t wait to come back!

UPDATED JAN 2023 VISIT

The first time I visited I fell in love with the vibe and the food! It was a humble and intimate experience The owners, staff and chefs were more than accommodating. I decided to have my partners small birthday gathering here. We have some friends that live in Long Beach and wanted them to share the exact experience with us. We started at an outside table and unfortunately, it started to rain but that didn’t stop the amazing food coming out of the kitchen; Chicken liver Pate – Delightful! Came with pistachio and seasonal compote (grape or berry) very light in taste not overly seasoned. House Made Farmers Cheese – Ahhhmazing! Roasted beets, heirloom tomatoes, caramelized grape and mint! Super fresh, one of my favs on the menu Tunisian Bruschetta – Delicious! Tuna conserva, chickpea mash, cucumber, tomato, egg. I can eat this all day! La Gouletter Mussels- Heavenly! Tomatoes, preserved lemon, caper, pilsner broth sooo good with the crusty bread! Braised Beef Cheeks – Divine! Polenta, arugula, crispy shallot, becarful this dish is addicting! Tunisian Fried Chicken (Only on Sundays) -Bussin! Tunisian spiced fried chicken with house made biscuits! I was in heaven! Moussaka – Delectable! Eggplant stew, tabil bechamel, parm, olive oil, croutons. The eggplant and bechamel was damn good! Chickpea 3 ways – Yumms! Chickpea balls, stew and puree for my Gluten Free fans!! And tried all 3 of their desserts! Honestly, it was amaze balls! Thank you Barsha...

Many of my experiences here begin with a warm welcome from Adnen, who -- often with wine in hand -- will chat your party up and make you feel right at home as though with an old friend. Then you embark on a culinary journey together, the likes of which you wouldn't otherwise expect hidden away in this part of Hermosa Beach. And with good wine (and other drinks) to boot!

The fare that is prepared here, by Lenora and her back-of-house staff, is a delightful combination of familiar formats and enticing flavors, many with a strong Tunisian flair. Memorable dishes for me that have persisted over the years include the Hand of Fatima, the Beef Cheek Cous Cous, the Tabil Branzino, and the Pappardelle. A fascinating (new?) dish here that I just recently tried is the Tounsi Brik (potato-filled pastry). So hearty and so good. And when it comes to dessert, the Rose Trifle is not to be trifled with.

The flavors in all of the dishes here are tastefully complex and yet very comforting to eat... it's really quite an art. But aside from all the delicious food and drink, what really comes across when dining here is the owners' love of sharing good food and good vibes with family and friends. This is a recurring neighborhood favorite...

I'm not going to lie, I'm new to Tunisian food. Now I get the theme and culture a little since I've traveled and eaten in these regions, so I have a palette for the food.

Food: brilliant! Tastes flavorful and Mediterranean is fashions. The sauces and dips, wildly delicious. The bread is A++. The Lamb meatballs were a cuisine at its top game. The couscous that attended it was prime. Slider, a must! The falafel sliders hit hard. With such a juicy flavor packed ball sandwiched in between a scrumptious bun and some toppings, 100% right on.

Drinks: cocktails and beer, solid. Fairly priced and well made.

Service: finally, some genuine service and quality customer service. If I'm paying high dollar, I expect high dollar service and they delivered. The servers did amazing.

Atmosphere: flawless. They have a stage for live music, hints at the culture and a clean and welcoming setup for anyone dining.

Why did I take 1 star from the food and overall? Because I reserve a special wow factor for a 5 star. So this 4 star should be almost equivalent. I wanted not only the experience, but something more. Not sure, but felt unfair giving a full 5. I super recommend this...