Hollywood is famous for its icons, and Marouch is certainly one of them. Open since 1982, it’s not only one of the oldest Armenian/Lebanese restaurants in Los Angeles, it’s one of the best. Under normal circumstances, rounding up our favorite friends and family for a massive, mezze-filled meal inside their festive dining room is one of our favorite big-group activities. But since that’s not a reality at the moment, take the next best option - order takeout or delivery instead.

Marouch’s menu is pretty large and covers a lot of ground, but our strategy is always to lean heavily into the mezze section (small dish appetizers) and then round out the meal with a few entrees. If you’re unsure which of the small plates you’re in the mood for, go for a mezze combination, which gets you a bunch of different highlights and none of the fighting with your roommates. That said, don’t hesitate to cherry-pick a few other things that catch your eye, because when the mezze tastes this good, there’s no such thing as an over-order.

Muhammara - No matter how many extra orders we get of this, it’s somehow never enough. Made with crushed walnuts mixed with hot red pepper paste and olive oil, Marouch’s muhammara is sweet, spicy, and our favorite version in LA. Make sure this is ordered. And then make sure to add a second order, too.

Ful Mudammas - Another one of our favorite small plates at Marouch, this fava bean stew is rich, decadent, and the kind of thing you need at arm’s length on sick days. The garlic and lemon juice spritzed on top cuts through the thickness of the dish perfectly.

Lamb Chops - This is our favorite dish among the entrees. Tender cut, seasoned, and charbroiled, there’s a unique sweet smokiness in each piece that we’re completely addicted to. And despite being a large-format entree, it’s still very shareable.

Fatayer - If a perfectly flaky cheese turnover doesn’t catch your eye or make it into your order, we have nothing in common.

Baklava - This isn’t the absolute best baklava we’ve ever had, but it’s still damn good - and an ideal way to end your meal.