Doma means ‘at home’ to be more precise. I’ve never heard about this place and very thankful for the post. Chef is lithuanian… owners don’t sound like they’re from back home… pretty cool that someone’s trying to make high end Ukranian but the borsh looks like regular homemade borsh.
Their plov really just vegetarian? It’s borderline biriani normally with loads of meat. It always feels weird for us to go out to restaurants serving our home food, but I hope to try it. I’m from the USSR, my woman is from Ukraine.
I saw at least three in the kitchen who were from that region. So the traditional factor seems deep.
The plov has no meat unless you add chicken or lamb. I don’t know if it’s vegetarian. The flavors were totally new to me. If it’s a meat-based stock, I didn’t taste lamb unless the other seasonings masked it.
Thanks for the info about the potato vareniki, @President_Mochi! I can’t wait to try them, as well as the spinach and cheese version mentioned by @bulavinaka.
OK, I’m just realizing that I’m getting my plovs and kashas crossed. I had the kasha - not the plov. And the kasha was braised in some sort of stock. But again - no gamey lambiness, but the flavors in general were new to me. It wasn’t bland and porridge-like. Somewhat complex and savory it was.
Dont know how you feel about kale, but being that you don’t eat meat… My daughter really liked the kale salad. She orders this salad quite a bit when it’s on a menu. She said she would definitely order it from Doma again.
I’m sure theirs is good, and a healthier version. Traditional uzbek plov looks like this and is usually with lamb. We lived in some villages for a time and the lambs in central asia are the ones that have the huge fat reserve ass flap. well they use that assflap fat as the basting vehicle… it’s left on top of the rice as it cooks in a hole under soil etc… then the locals feed it to you by hand and you must not refuse… anyway, that’s just in villages and maybe not even any more. … strong memory of being a kid and having a scary man feeding me by hand with assflap fat dripping all down his hands.
Yes but it’s just a take out place, a Russian grocery store/deli with a good, hot counter. Honestly I no longer have a go to since Uzbekistan closed down on La Brea. The only sit down place that does it pretty well but not great (it was beef :() is called EuroAsia. There was supposed to be a really good authentic spot downtown that that never seemed to have opened. I’ve been watching their (to be opened) status for 3 years http://www.samarkandcafe.com/ . (hilarious… on their menu their Plov photo is the same one i lifted from google)
Basically we just eat this stuff when aunties make it.
I was going to start a new thread to rec this spot but am glad you’ve already commented.
Just want to say we just tried it for the first time tonight and had a fine time. I had the lagman – it’s lamb stew with vegetables over fresh noodles. Really liked it: hearty and perfect for cold weather. It had a really nice spice mix that tasted slightly exotic, almost vaguely Indian as if it contained garam masala. (I don’t think it does – I just don’t know how else to describe the flavor.
My older son had the aforementioned kasha – he had his with the meatballs.
Younger son had chicken kiev with fresh vegetables. I only tried the “crust” which was crunchy, but sort of light. I can only report that he raved about it and liked how when he cut into it all that butter and those herbs oozed out.
I saw many other items I’d like to try, including that bread basked with butter and fig jam. The sandwiches (only served at lunch) look tasty as does the breakfast.
Anyway, not much more to add. Just think this is a nice spot and I’d like to see it stick around.
Bonus tip: No problem parking.
Bonus bonus tip: They have a nice Japanese art collection on the walls.
Bonus bonus bonus tip: They have “jazz nights” but I don’t have more details.
Noticed that the chairs were on tables when I parked my car to shop nearby. Sign on the door says NYE will be the last night, but I think it’s over already. Guy saw me looking in the window and he told me they were done – business was slow.
It’s too bad. They served some dishes that you don’t see too often. We had continued to eat there. When they started serving beer/wine I thought they’d make it.
That stinks. Only went once, but I really enjoyed the food and the vibe. Hope they find a new home somewhere nearby. I think they’d do great along Santa Monica Blvd. in West LA…
Great pix by the way.
Only went once, but I really enjoyed the food and the vibe. Hope they find a new home somewhere nearby. I think they’d do great along Santa Monica Blvd. in West LA…