Editor’s Note: The El Segundo location has closed. They have locations on 3rd Street, Brentwood and Westlake Village.
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to eat healthier, Mediterranean food is worth exploring. It is one of the healthy eating plans recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to promote health and prevent chronic disease. I was recently invited to a food tasting at Soom Soom, a fast-casual restaurant serving fresh Mediterranean cuisine.
Soom Soom is owned by Ronit Machlouf and Zahi Ofengart. Their goal was to focus on authenticity. It began in Nov. 2016 and the launch of the El Segundo restaurant is now its sixth location. Located in Plaza El Segundo off of Pacific Coast Highway, they have plenty of free parking steps away from the restaurant.
My first impression of Soom Soom’s interior was industrial with an abundance of glass and metal. Once my eyes wandered, I quickly noticed the wall lined with plants and I almost felt like I was dining in someone’s backyard, although I was indoors. Due to the large glass windows, the interior benefitted with a lot of natural light.
Co-owner, Ronit Machlouf was present and stated, “we are making everything fresh daily, no preservatives in our food.” She displayed a lot of passion about the quality of the ingredients and added: “I feed my family with food from my restaurants, so when you make food for your family, you make it from your heart.”
Once you select your entree, you decide whether you wish to have it in a pita, a wrap, a plate or in a salad. According to Machiouf, the most popular entree is their shawarma chicken. Other entrees include shawarma beef, chicken breast, chicken kebob, fried chicken schnitzel, and ground beef kebob. Vegetarian items include falafel, roasted cauliflower, and one with a mix of veggies.
Each entree selection includes a choice of four sides, rice or couscous, and a half pita. Quite a few sides are available; some of them include hummus, babaganoush, cucumber salad, tabbouleh, pickled turnips and many more. Side salads vary based on seasonal availability. The price for an entree and four sides is reasonably priced at $9 or $11.
The meat they source is all-natural, free of antibiotics and hormones. The chicken and beef shawarma are expertly prepared, the marinade is delicious and the meat is lean and full of flavor. What surprised me the most is how delicious each of the vegetable sides was. Carrots and cucumber can be bitter and I was surprised that both were nicely seasoned and naturally sweet.
The bigger surprise is the quality of their pita bread. Soom Soom orders the pita frozen and half baked directly from a baker in Israel. Pita is baked in their often throughout the day guaranteeing the ultimate in freshness. The pita is both soft and fluffy and doesn’t have a hard exterior that some others exhibit.
In addition to their El Segundo location, they also have restaurants on 3rd Street, downtown LA, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and Westlake.
Given the quality, flavor, and price, Soom Soom is a natural choice for a dining destination. You can also feel good that you are eating healthy.
Soom Soom, 700-A S Allied Way, El Segundo, CA 90245; 855.846.7666
soomsoomfresh.com
Hi Bryan,
I went to this restaurant one day and I really liked the food. Your descriptions of the food items is spot on. I liked all the choices and the freshness. Also, I had no idea about the Pita bread was from Isreal. Who knew??? I do want to go back again and try something else. Another great review! Dean