I really thought I would be able to teleport by now.

Not just fly, I mean “stand in one place then blink and now I’m in another city” kind of teleport. It’s 2016 and the world hasn’t delivered on some of its most basic promises like smellavision and flying cars. In spite of the aforementioned let downs, I never let go of the teleportation idea. And there has never been a time so perfect to travel instantaneously than when you’re trying to walk through crowds of people in Downtown LA. I was heading to a dinner at 10e Restaurant and I was starving. Only problem? There were too many people doing nothing which prevented me from getting to my destination. There was a couple making out on the corner. “Thanks for the reminder that I’m single, guys.” And then there was a child running after a pigeon. “You’re gonna regret that, kid.” Regardless of what people were doing, they were all in my way. After dodging, swerving, and even doing a fairly good pirouette, I made it to 10e.

Walking to the restaurant and taking a look at the exterior my wallet shivered in my purse; it looked as if it would be expensive. Stepping inside only confirmed that. 10e is a two story restaurant that sits inside the fine arts building. Seeing how the building has maintained its original infrastructure and layout, the only thing they changed was the interior and lighting.  On the first floor is the main dining area and a bar, while the second floor holds a dining area for large parties and an additional bar. Gazing over every part, I could see the location is beautiful without being gaudy or ostentatious. I love the points of gothic design that interact with you as you speak with the hostess or those standing out in the second floor. I loved how their dinner plates differed between each table and that they had hints of Mediterranean vibrancy. Even better, I could not stop looking at the way the chains draped and hung the light fixture.

A few moments after I was done exploring the restaurant, the hostess Leigh (or was it Lee?) showed me to my seat. I took a moment to look over the menu to decide what to order. It was actually a tough one because there were pictures of the food on the website that I wanted to get, but had no idea what they were called. I did what any hungry person would do, I asked the waiter Kyle. He was extremely helpful in pointing me to exactly what I wanted and making suggestions on other dishes that I would really like.

With his suggestions, the first thing I ordered was my drink. I got the Beirut Nights ($10). The cocktail was made of Matusalem rum, Chambord, strawberry, agave, mint, and lime. Because the liquor in the drink was rum, I was unsure of how balanced it would be by the mint and lime. A sip or two into it, I realized it was an incredibly delicious drink. Those sips soon turned into me guzzling the drink down like it was gatorade and I was Kobe after a game. It was that good. I love cocktails that are easy to drink as if they’re coming from the juice aisle, and that is this drink. It was sweet and the rum blended perfectly to the point that I almost didn’t taste it. After I finished it, I felt the rum; all of it.

While I had ordered a few dishes with Kyle, the first to arrive wasn’t even on my initial radar. It was the Pita Bread and Oil (complimentary). The enveloped pita was incredibly warm and wasn’t too tough. I liked the puffy pita bread on its own and with the olive oil, but I loved it most when it came to scooping up the hummus from in my next dish.

The Hummus ($9) with Filet Mignon ($5 extra) was such standout dish when it comes to its taste. The hummus was made with a chickpea puree, tahini, lemon, and an extra virgin olive oil. Although the dish was small, it was a bit overpriced considering the size. In spite of that, the hummus was completely smooth and free of any potential grittiness. The filet that was paired with it easily melted deep into the hummus and then onto my taste buds effortlessly. I soon added it to the pita bread and it was a perfect trinity to consume.

The dish that followed the hummus was the Muhammara ($9). On this dish were three mounds of a spread made of walnut, roasted pepper, pomegranate, and extra virgin olive oil. Although the dish is cold, the temperature only adds to the taste. There’s still a pleasant burst of flavor and vibrant spices that carry from start to finish. The texture is very smooth to the point that it can almost dissolve at the touch of your tongue. Although you can eat the muhammara alongside the pita bread, I liked this dip solo. I actually wasn’t a fan of the way the hard walnuts and crispy onions tasted when I put it with the warm pita. Taking that into consideration, it’s pretty solid on its own—even if it is a dip.

The next plate I tried out was the Mante ($15), an Amenian beef dumpling dish with a garlic yogurt sauce and sumac. I loved the color of the brown dumpling and the white yogurt with sprinkles of green and violet. After I finished gazing at it, I took my spoon to it. Within the first bite I fell in love with it! The beef was seasoned so nicely and was full of exciting flavors thanks to the yogurt. Now if you’re anything like me, the sight of a water based liquid with anything creamy or milky make seem off-putting. But here, the two work well together. I totally suggest that you take the dumpling, oil, and yogurt in one helping and devour it. It’s a beautifully delicious combination.

The final of the starters (yes, these are the starters) was the Pastry Trio ($12). The plate comprised of three puff pastries filled with delicious surprises. The first two were vegetarian and the third had meat. I know what you’re thinking, “Vegetarian, why’d you even bother?” I thought the same thing and wanted to have only meat because I’m a fat kid. But I kept the trio the way the chef intended and gave it a shot anyway. The first of the trio was the spanak. It had phyllo dough, spinach, feta. The second was the boreg: a puff pastry filled with feta and kashkaval cheese. The final of the three contained meat; thank you Jesus! The bousek had ground beef and pine nuts wrapped in (you guessed it) a puff pastry. I may have underestimated the vegetarian pastries as I didn’t even care that they were vegetarian. They were so tasty, light, and the flaky dough was exactly what this carb lover wanted. Because the third contained meat, it did feel weightier but that was fine. Did that stop me from the next plate? Of course not.

The final dish was the entrée: Lamb Chops ($28). The plate had a French rack of lamb, seasoned with za’atar (Middle Eastern herbs), a roasted pepper sauce and a parsley sauce. The lamb came with pilaf rice, roasted peppers, and mushrooms. To start, the lamb was everything I would have wanted it to be. It was juicy, tender, and the sauces accented the meat so well that I finished it faster than I realized.

Next, the rice was exceptional. The pilaf was cooked in special butter that makes it incredibly soft and memorable. When the rice passes over your lips it’s almost as if it dissolves when it comes in contact with your tongue. It’s basically blessed from heaven. And yes, I just gushed over rice don’t judge me.

Alongside the lamb and rice were the vegetables. After having such great flavors with the lamb and the rice, the vegetables were ok. Nothing bad to them whatsoever, but the other two clearly stood out that anything after them would have to be just as strong (if not stronger) to be delightful.

My dinner at 10e was both beautiful and delicious. The atmosphere is enticing and the dishes are exciting, but the price is a bit expensive for the portions. I would eagerly recommend them for any celebratory event like a birthday, but it would be hard for me to justify it for continuous visits. To go to 10e weekly for the small plates at the price point would turn into a serious burn to your wallet over time. It’s a great place to make as your splurge spot because it would be worth it. But if you happen to have the money, hit them up every day of the week if you wish. And if you have that kind of money, then you should also have the technology to teleport. And if you do, help me teleport please!

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