Michele StuevenShakshuka, the warm Maghrebi dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic, is popping up in different versions on menus all across L.A., a welcome sight during these cold winter mornings.
In Jewish culture, a large batch of tomato stew is made for the Sabbath dinner and the leftovers used the following morning to make a breakfast shakshuka with eggs. In Andalusian cuisine, it’s known as huevos a la flamenca and includes chorizo and serrano ham. The Italian version is called eggs in purgatory and often includes anchovies or parmesan cheese.
Here are our top picks for this North African comfort food to be lapped up with rustic slices of bread to warm the heart and soul.
The Milky Way (Michele Stueven)
Topping our list is Vicky’s All Day in West Adams. Located in what was previously an Armenian bakery that specialized in lahmajoun, next to the fortress that is the Rockenwagner bakery, the menu reflects Chef Danny Elmaleh’s dietary upbringing from a Japanese mother and Moroccan father. The slightly spicy chunky tomato stew made with peppers roasted by Elmaleh himself with traditional Moroccan spices is topped with oozy eggs and served alongside a dramatic laffa bread the size of a baby’s head.
For those who see shakshuka as a vehicle for crusty whole grain sourdough, Amsalam and Alexander Phaneuf’s Lodge Bread locations in Woodland Hills, Culver City and Pico Robertson offer a bubbling cauldron topped with fresh herbs. Use the large rustic bread slices as utensils to swirl the oozy fried egg yolks into the tomato mixture.
Also in the Pico Robertson, The Milky Way’s brunch version comes with poached eggs, stewed tomatoes, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, spinach and harissa topped with mellow chunks of feta cheese. The perfect match for a mimosa.
Interstellar (Michele Stueven)
And on the subject of green, The Blvd Restaurant and Lounge at the Beverly Wilshire has the most unique version of this Tunisian dish, using power green mix cooked with garlic and onions, North African spices and two poached eggs. It’s a filling dish that when combined with one of the lounge’s smoothies, like the Anti-O made with oat milk, kale, blueberries and flaxseed, will provide you with energy for the day and definitely make you march.
Interstellar’s shakshuka is a cultural combination served hot and bubbly in individual cast iron skillets. Available for breakfast and lunch in its cozy Santa Monica location near the beach, husband-and-wife team Chef Angie and Daniel Kim’s slightly spicy version combines harissa marinara, three fried eggs, a trace of nuoc mam fish sauce and is topped with mozzarella cheese and cilantro. This one definitely wins the cheese pull. Pair it with a hot pot of Pu Erh Tea from Lao Ban Zhang.
There are plenty of versions of the recipe to suit any taste. If it’s just plain too cold to venture out and you’d like to take the easy route, Zonzon Organic has ready made jars of shakshuka sauce that can be poured over sauteed onions and peppers of your choice in a skillet, topped with eggs and finished for a few minutes in the oven. Tara and Mohamed Belouafa have brought their Tunisian heritage to L.A. at their artisanal certified cannery based in Downtown Los Angeles. You can find their cooking sauces, preserved lemons, harissa paste and pickled peppers online or at the Hollywood, Mar Vista and Marina del Rey farmers markets.
Beck’s Cafe in Encino has individual and shakshukas for two, with homemade spicy tomato sauce , onion, cilantro, garlic, and four eggs baked in round challah. It’s served with two Israeli salads and pickles.
Green Shakshuka (Courtesy The Blvd Restaurant and Lounge)
Make your own with Zonzon Organic (Michele Stueven)
Shakshuka for Two (Courtesy Beck’s Cafe)
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