Restaurant: Mantee Cafe
Location: 10962 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604. (818) 761-6565
Date: March 18, 2023
Cuisine: Lebanese & Armenian Cuisine
Rating: very tasty
A quick meal with my lady.
Mantee Café, a family owned and operated charming café boasts a tranquil backyard garden, with an intimate atmosphere and the full comfort to enjoy our delicious selection of Mediterranean style home cooked dishes and sweets.
Front inside dining room.
Covered patio in the rear.
The lovely outside patio.
The menu.
Two types of bread. Pita and a crispy thin papadum-like flat bread.
Sesame oil with sesame seeds and a bit of lemon.
ARMENIAN SALAD. Fine chopped tomato, cucumber & romaine lettuce with fresh lemon & organic balsamic dressing. A great salad with a very strong and bright vinaigrette. It was strong enough that I didn’t even mind the tomatoes.
HUMMOS PINE NUTS. Chick peas blended with sesame paste, fresh lemon & garlic. Topped with pan grilled pine nut.
MOTABAL. Charbroiled eggplant mashed with sesame paste, fresh lemon & garlic. Very nice version with some brightness, great texture, and a very fresh taste.
LABNE TOOM. Yogurt dip blended with fresh garlic, dry mint & extra virgin olive oil. I always love labne.
KEBBE NAYE. Seasoned fresh tartar meat mixed with crushed wheat, served with chopped onion and parsley. Really nice fresh raw meat, super soft and succulent, with an interesting blend in the form of the onion/parsley “salad.” Great enjoyed with labne too.
BRANZINO. Charbroiled whole fresh Branzino, head/tail on or off served with cube Idaho potatoes.
KAFTA KEBAB. Charbroiled seasoned ground beef mixed with onion & parsley. Served with our delectable vermicelli rice pilaf, grilled tomatoes & Anaheim pepper. The Kafta was good, but there wasn’t much of it. It was fairly mildly seasoned but very fresh. I liked the ppper too. I nibbled at the rice (due to keto) and I would have enjoyed it if I could.
TOOM. Gotta have this garlic, lemon, oil paste — so good!
Overall, nice kitchen with great tasting food.