LOS ANGELES — Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines share similar flavors and dishes. Zfalafel owner Tony Zablah says it is all in the seasoning and marinating.

He makes his falafel to order by hand, forming the chickpea, parsley, cilantro and bell pepper mix into balls that are then fried.

“Everything fresh tastes better,” said Zablah about the process.

From the crispy falafel to the kabob, everything is made on the premises at his downtown Los Angeles restaurant. Zablah wants to keep it as close to tradition as possible. He grew up in Palestine and moved to the U.S. 12 years ago to be with his brother.

“I love Middle Eastern food, and I used to cook at home all the time for my family and for my friends,” said Zablah.

Zfalafel serves staples including lamb, pita, chicken and hummus. The chickpeas are cooked for five hours before being blended with tahini, water and salt, which transforms them into hummus. This process is done almost every day.

Zablah loves cooking what he grew up eating. He says Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines are very similar.

“The seasonings are a bit different. It’s just the marination, but everything almost tastes the same,” said Zablah. 

The combo platter is their most popular order. It is full of their salads and sides, along with the fresh made hummus and baba ganoush. The baba ganoush is a mixture of eggplant with tahini, olive oil, lemon, salt and black pepper.

The platter is finished with pickled veggies and rice then topped with every protein from the chicken and the lamb kabob to the falafel.

“We have to marinate everything almost every day,” said Zablah.

Zfalafel is located downtown at 806 W. 8th St. in Los Angeles.