It doesn’t take long to fall in love with a restaurant.

Or, at least it shouldn’t. Ideally, it should be easy: you either like it or you don’t, but there are usually components to the location that help you make the decision. Maybe a couple of cocktails, conversations with friends, and a couple of clicks on a clock would do it for most, but for me I know pretty early on. A stroll around the space, a glance at the menu, and a few bites one after another can have me dancing into adoration over a restaurant. Those exact sentiments occurred while I dined at Momed in Atwater Village.

I visited Momed last week after hearing about their involvement in a unique initiative geared to help feed those in need. Momed, like many restaurants throughout Southern California, has joined forces with Greenbar Distillery to promote Los Angeles’ own, The Burrito Project. The Project functions as a collective of friends and strangers who have come together to help feed those who need it most in Los Angeles. Without judgement, the team makes sincere efforts to feed the hungry and help the overall end of homeless. Working with Greenbar Distillery and local bars and restaurants, The Burrito Project extends its mission to a greater level. The partnership with eateries allows restaurant guests to purchase a cocktail made of the distillery’s CITY Bright gin at a participating bar and The Burrito Project will make healthy and vegan burritos and donate them to individuals throughout the city. Working aggressively to reach their goal of spreading 10,000 burritos you can participate by ordering a simple cocktail.

At Momed, the cocktail that will help those who need it most is the Far East Basil ($15). Made with CITY Basil infused gin, Aperol, lemon, Orgeat almond syrup, and egg white this little cocktail can do so much for others. Mission aside, the drink tastes smooth with a light and cloud-like start thanks to the egg white. As the drink begins to grace away from your lips, the heavy gin makes its appearance. The sprightly look of the cocktail doesn’t lead you to believe that it would be so strong, but you’ll quickly find that it carries it’s own level of power with each sip you take. Joining the egg and the gin, the basil has a faint and fragrant accent that brings it all together.

To go along with sups of the cocktail, I ordered two plates of food.

To start I had the Mediterranean Street Corn ($9.50). A trio of corn on a stick arrived with a chickpea aioli and a handful of fresh limes. Squeezing the lime across the corn and diving into each one was the best start to the meal. The corn was sweet and juicy, but the aioli and the citrus taste was a beautiful parallel to what could be an ordinary vegetable. I enjoyed each one and the way they were presented as it encouraged me to dive into them without any regard for how messy I got.

Following the corn I had the Fire Roasted Scottish Salmon ($25.50). The salmon was served with seasonal vegetables and a cashew salsa verde. From the moment my fork and knife sliced into the salmon I was given a beautiful fish that not only looked amazing, but tasted just the same. It was delicate and well-seasoned and the combination of the cauliflower, spinach, and squeeze of lemon only brought it altogether effortlessly. I enjoyed the way Momed took what could have been an overlooked fish and turned it into a beautifully plated dish that was bright in color, exciting in taste, and memorable once it disappeared. This dish alone, paired with the gorgeous location, would drive me to return time after time.

Dining in Momed was a great way to spend the day. From the interior to the food, I enjoyed each moment that I had and easily found myself falling in love with Momed. What made it even better was the realization that the restaurant is working to helping others. Combining the purchase of cocktails and aligning it with The Burrito Project is a great way to serve their customers and help those who need it most.

To find out more about The Burrito Project and to see which restaurants and bars are participating, click here!

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Address: 3245 Casitas Ave Los Angeles, CA 90039
Phone: (323) 522-3488
Hours: Monday through Thursday – 11:30am to 9:30pm, Friday – 11:30am to 10:00pm, Saturday – 10:00am to 3:00pm, 5:00pm to 10:00pm, Sunday – 10:00am to 3:00pm, 5:00pm to 9:30pm
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