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The Grill Works: Street Food Favorites as Finger Food Meals
By Gerry Furth-Sides

What is more fun than a fresh delicious, satisfying meal of finger food? A fast-service menu so inexpensive you can try quite a few things every visit, as you can at the new Grill Works & Cupcake Company.

The compact (1000 square feet) but minimalist-modern airy Ventura Boulevard shop features Venetian plastered walls and a full back kitchen. "We wanted to do it right," chorus congenial, high-energy owners Mike Pinhas and Nick Shoshan.

Mike and Nick created a user-friendly, casual concept with the idea of duplicating it, much the same as other formally-trained master chefs are doing now (think Alan Jackson's Lemonade and the wildly popular Tender Greens by two Shutters on the Beach executive chefs).

Nick and Mike earned their degrees from the highly-respected Tadmor Culinary Institute in Israel. Cupcake pastry chef, Joni Fields, a valley girl, graduated from the prestigious California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. "We are family," she smiles.

Enthusiastic Nick and Mike further expanded the idea with favorite childhood finger and street foods from their extensive Middle Eastern background. Mike is Greek and Turkish (aha! Turkish bakers uncovered the secret to layered pastries and fine seasonings centuries ago). Nick's background is Moroccan French and Italian.

And not to worry, family men both, Mike and Nick cook a variety of Pommes Frites (French fries) for the kids (and adult kids).

Everything is made from scratch, and in-house, in small batches. The chefs even cure their own beautifully lean, perfectly spiced pastrami! The hospitable pair are always on premise, with one in front and one in the kitchen - unless one is out shopping. "We love customer service, but cooking is our passion," grins Nick.

"Side Plates" of hummus, shawarma, falafels (their #1 seller), and babaganoush whet the appetite. Their textured babaganoush has a subtle, unusual smoky taste. Laughs Mike, "That's because we peel and cook ½ the eggplant (the other half roasted on an open fire).

Nick is the entrepreneur behind Stuffed Puffs. He follows in his mother's footsteps, whose talent for making pastry and decadent savory and sweet creations expanded into a commercial business in Israel. When Nick branched out to California, his extensive experience led him to eventually create, "The Stuffed Puffs Company."

The secret to the puffs is in their 320 layers of dough (!) "confides Mike. " Laminations (layers) are key. And we use butter, the basis of wonderful French pastry."

Healthy, individual Spinach and Feta Puffs feature fresh, tender baby spinach lightly sautéed in spices and blended with feta cheese - the best of Spanakopita and Tiropita (Greek pan pies).

"For our customers who crave grandma's cooking, we serve caramelized potato puffs, hand selected baby potatoes and sweet caramelized onions sautéed in fresh herbs and spices," Mike relates, as a customer whisks away a couple of orders from the counter.

"Flatbreads," plateless takeaway meals for $2.95, are little round circles of crunchy, thin dough, a popular middle-eastern treat for centuries, often sold by street vendors.

Flatbreads include Beef, Lamb, Shawarma (shaved meat), BBQ Tri-tip Steak (a 5-step process, including roasting and grilling), Falafel (freshly ground garbanzo beans, herbs) or Hot

Roast Beef, served with caramelized onions. Guests choose their own homemade sauce topping.

"Grill Works Creations"are fat sandwiches served on freshly- baked French or Honey Wheat baguettes, with a house salad, ($6.95). Choices include beef, lamb, shawarma; BBQ Tri-Tip or Hot Roast Beef, Caramelized Onion Hot Pastrami (with garlic sauce), or Grilled Chicken Breast with honey mustard sauce. Fried or Grilled Fish comes with garlic sauce or spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce. Falafels with hummus is $5.95.

Healthy Choice salads ($5.95-$6.95) include Caesar with Grilled chicken, Greek, Tuscany and Southwestern.

Time for a sweet treat. Joni's light-as-air, cupcakes range from classic favorite, Plush Red Velvet, to imaginative Tiramisu Rex, Utter Peanut Butter (in chocolate) and Orangatwang (orange cake, pina colada filling, coconut frosting). All have a surprise filling inside and a luscious frosting on top, so thick that the Vanilla Vice Chips (vanilla custard filling) looks like a spaceship toy.

All Grill Works Creations & Cupcakes travel, with huge assorted ready-to-serve trays perfect for home or office parties. The environmentally aware owners send a bike rider to deliver within a one-mile radius (sometimes faster than in a car); a van does the rest. Mike and Nick also invite the public in for a free flatbread on Mondays or a daily $4.95 special any time.

Grill Works & Cupcake Co., 15030 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, (818) 783.3403.
www.grillworkscupcakeco.com

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