The Best: The falafel and all the fresh ingredients and toppings.
Might Not Like: There’s not much indoor seating, but there is still plenty outside.
I accidentally stumbled into Dune when I was wandering around Atwater one afternoon. With almost no signage and a door tucked into the building, this gem of a Mediterranean place is easy to miss, but that would be beyond remiss.
I firmly believe that those who take the time to pickle their own vegetables and condiments care about food. And I firmly believe that those who care about food often take the time and energy to create great food. And Dune is no exception to this rule.
With a very simple menu that revolves around flatbread, falafel, lamb, and eggs, this little culinary destination is like the darn cutest little food truck you ever did see shoved neatly into an indoor space. Seating is limited and the air conditioning is as well, but the food is oh-so-tasty. The lamb has surprising depth and an equally surprising lack of greasiness replaced instead by pure, unadulterated flavor. With pickled beets, fresh lettuce, creamy tahini, and a hummus that makes you want to lick the plate right there in slightly sophisticated little Atwater, you can’t go wrong. The bread is hearty and bares the marks of being just wrested from the oven and the falafel, well…even if you don’t like falafel (are there people who don’t like falafel?)…probably…and if you are one of those people or anybody else with a mouth, you have to try their organic green herb little globes of tantalizing taste and crunch. They are like falafel that you imagine must have just been sunning on the shores of the Mediterranean and then caught a boat straight for your mouth where they land in a flavor dock of happiness.
But it’s not just the falafel and lamb that stands out. Their medium hardboiled eggs are golden and gorgeous, and the toast, while created almost ad nauseum in this little part of the world, still manages to be beautiful and inviting. And then there are the condiments and dates and olives and everything else salty and sweet and spicy that makes eating a delight.
The dedication that Dune has to flavor is remarkable, and their inclusion of organic menu items points to an understanding of the every growing desire to have food that is natural, so stumble in, savor, and enjoy the fact that the LA culinary scene is growing, and we, dear readers, are the beneficiaries of this tasty truth.
HIP & TRENDY and pretty much right on point when it comes to great food in a delightfully authentic setting.
I’d put this on the CHEAP end. For falafel it’s a little pricey, but for an organic dinner, it’s priced really well.