DeLuxe Cafe in Pasadena has mantee, kibbeh and Ryan Gosling hummus memes

Housemade mantee meat dumplings at Deluxe Cafe and Lounge.

Sept. 8, 2015 12:35 PM PT

Name: Deluxe Cafe and Lounge, a Middle Eastern restaurant run by the Vartkessian family. Nina runs the kitchen, Sahak serves as the general manager, Vartan is the head of operations and Aleen, the head of marketing.

Where you are: In between Garni meat market and a frozen yogurt shop on Washington Boulevard in northern Pasadena, near Su Beurek Factory and Bakery, Panos Bakery, Sarkis Pastry, Koko’s Bakery and Good Food Market. It’s kind of like Pasadena’s own Little Armenia.

What you’re eating: Nina’s homemade, heavily seasoned maanik (Arabic sausage) covered in a tomato and citrus pomegranate sauce; housemade kibbeh (spheres of crisp cracked wheat stuffed with spiced ground beef, onion and pine nuts); mantee (meat dumplings encased in a crisp noodle-like shell) served under rich tomato sauce with yogurt; fattoush salad made with diced cucumber, tomato, onion, peppers and squares of toasted pita bread, seasoned with sumac and parsley; a bowl of smooth and creamy hummus; and a combination platter of marinated chicken kebab and beef luleh (ground beef kebab), served with rice or salad and charred tomatoes and peppers.

If you stop in for lunch, there are $5 beef luleh, chicken luleh and chicken breast sandwiches. And the falafel sandwiches are $4.

What you’re watching on the TV screen: Hummus memes, with everything from Ryan Gosling “Hey Girl” to cartoon characters chatting about hummus.

Who’s at the next table: A family of four finishes a platter of hummus, grape leaves and kibbeh, along with four kebab sandwiches in less than 30 minutes and three generations of a family stop in to place an order for a party the next weekend.

Info: 1717 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 765-9486, www.deluxepasadena.com.

I’m a mantee monster. Follow me on Twitter @Jenn_Harris_

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