Mint condition
RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: Popular Persian pop-up Azizam is now a permanent Silver Lake fixture situated on a prime stretch of Sunset Boulevard, serving seasonally driven, homestyle cuisine, lunch through dinner.
The Vib: Olive green accents and warm counter service set the stage. Daily specials are scrawled on a mirror near the register. There are a few seats inside, but most of the dining room is al fresco, outfitted with wood tables and pale, multicolored stools. Given the location on Sunset, sidewalk patio, and tapped-in crowd, one could argue that Azizam is filling the gaping hole left by the 2020 closure of beloved Israeli joint Mh Zh (whose former digs are now home to MidEast Tacos).
The Food: Dips, salads, soup, rice, and stews, plus house-made barbari bread to mop everything up. Everything is shareable, so come with friends. Highlights include an allium-laced yogurt dip, the refreshing mint-flecked shirazi salad, and tender turmeric chicken over fava bean rice. To drink, try the sekanjabin spritz, a shrub made of mint, honey, and apple cider vinegar, or a Shams Gold (a Persian pilsner).
The Verdict: Azizam is the cool new kid on a cool block. –Emily Wilson
→ Azizam (Silver Lake) • 2943 Sunset Blvd • Thurs-Sun 12-10p, Mon 5-10p.