 Cleopatra, personified in a huge picture of actress Theda Bara from the 1917 movie, welcomes you at Cleo, an sbe venture (The Bazaar, Katsuyas, SLS) in Hollywood, as does a courteous and efficient staff. She is the best decorative element in the mishmash of objects and forms that comprise the décor. There is no unity between the industrial high ceilings, the Monet-like painting at the bar, the open kitchen, the lamp fixtures, the chairs, the shades in front of the windows and the unattractive green color on the walls. But it doesn’t matter---the right ambience is definitely present and it’s what you want for a vibrant evening. sbe corporate chef Daniel Elmaleh, whose father is Moroccan, came up with a great food concept: a mix of dishes from the different countries around the Mediterranean basin. Even though the cuisines are completely different from one another, the menu works. Come hungry as your options are vast. Start with the mezzes that can be hummus, cucumber and yogurt, lamb kefta, shrimp kebab, pork belly, merguez or borek, to name just a few. They come with warm and delicious pita bread made in the wood burning oven. Order grilled Brussels sprouts seasoned with red wine vinaigrette before moving to the lamb tartare, the sliders spiced with harissa aïoli, the meatball tagine or the moussaka. If your taste buds call for seafood, try grilled octopus; scallops flavored by Lebaneh, dill and orange and accompanied by Moroccan dry cured olives; or the spicy daurade tagine. You should also have one of the ultra-fresh salads, which have a homemade feel: the Greek, the beets salad or the version with cucumbers, tomato, scallions, parsley and lemon. Let us not forget the flatbreads, all very good. We also recommend the couscous, which is vegetarian and costs $11, unless you add kebab (for only $5 more). Your waiter will recite the list of always-changing desserts (there is no printed menu), and they are a must. It can be toffee date sticky pudding, Lebanese yogurt sorbet with macerated seasonal fruits or apple strudel cobbler. The wine list has minimal selections, so it might be more fun to order a cocktail from the bar. Last but not least: the reasonable prices (dishes start at $6 and top out at $16) make Cleo an unbeatable restaurant for a hip clientele.
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Cleo Restaurant is one of our 2012
| Top 10 LA Sexy Restaurants
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Go behind the scenes of Cleo restaurant!
Watch our exclusive interview with chef de cuisine Michael Teich on GAYOT.com’s Youtube channel.
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