My experience at Carousel hit all the marks - the energy was great, the atmosphere was beautiful, and the food was outstanding. And it definitely helped that I had some great company - I went as a guest of Sam Khalaf from Cruzer Pizza, as he's a big fan of their food. While I won't call this my favorite restaurant, this was definitely one of the best meals I've had in L.A., and I've been raving about it ever since I left.

Coincidentally, that very day the owner (Mike Tcholakian) of the restaurant was working on the vegan menu, so he brought us out a ton of food to try. While the lentils were my favorite, everything was very fresh and flavorful. The falafel was the best I've ever had - crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The Mousaaka (eggplant) was also fantastic. It was extremely authentic Middle Eastern food - Sam said it reminds him of what his family makes.