LA’s Carnival Restaurant is a celebration of Middle Eastern Cuisine
Armenian Mirror-S[ectatpr
SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. — Welcome to the Carnival Restaurant in Sherman Oaks, CA. Since 1984, this celebrated Lebanese family-owned restaurant offers a one-of-a-kind Middle Eastern dining experience known for its welcoming atmosphere, exceptional international menu, and a premier level of customer attention and service.
In fact, in 2012, it received the LA Times Readers’ Choice for Mediterranean Restaurant.
“From the start, our mission has been to serve high-quality Middle Eastern food in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Our restaurant can be found at the far end of a shopping center in Sherman Oaks, and continues to serve generations of dedicated customers,” says Nabeel Halaby, Carnival’s personable and ever-present co-owner and general manager.
“With several highly trained chefs in the kitchen and a menu that caters to today’s diverse dietary preferences, Carnival features healthy vegan and vegetarian options alongside an enormous selection of traditional Middle Eastern dishes and specialties. One by one, each dish impresses and shines in its own right, and together the meal becomes what can only be described as a sumptuous feast of authentic food, flavors, and international tastes,” he adds.
Steam curls into the air of the ful mudammas (spelled “fool” on the menu for easy pronunciation), which acts as the eye-catching centerpiece for a variety of vegetarian diners. Halaby explains the intricacy of this dish, which is a staple food in Arab, Middle Eastern, and African countries. “Ful is made from fava beans cooked with cumin, garlic, onion, lemon juice and other herbs, and dressed with olive oil and a sprig of mint just before being served. Alongside the ful comes a tray of smoothly textured creamy hummus paired with smoky baba ghanoush, a spread made from fire-grilled eggplants pureed with tahini, garlic, and fresh lemon juice. These two dishes share plate space with a generous helping of a perfect tabbouleh, Carnival’s very finely chopped salad of tomatoes, parsley, mint, onions, and bulgur, flavored with olive oil and lemon…”
Halaby tells the story of leaving Lebanon as a young man. After spending a childhood in his family home in Beirut, he left the country in 1977 during the early stages of the Lebanese Civil War to join his sister, cousins, and extended family members in Los Angeles. He speaks about this stark transition. “It was a very good experience, he recalls. “I expected a lot of dramatic changes at the time, and did well because of my energy and my determination to succeed. I had to adapt to different circumstances and a new kind of work environment in Los Angeles, and do whatever was needed to find a job at that time. And when you’re young, you need to adjust fast to many situations.”
The first job Halaby held in Los Angeles was as a municipal maintenance worker, beautifying the railroad tracks and roads in the North San Fernando Valley. He eventually got into the construction business. When his crew and partner moved out of the San Fernando Valley, Halaby took it as a sign to change careers and industries. Meanwhile, his brother Fouad and two cousins had created a new business, Carnival Restaurant, and when Fouad decided to retire, he passed the business on to Halaby. At the time, it was vital the restaurant stay in the family, Halaby says, so he stepped in to take on co-ownership responsibility with his two partners and relatives, Afif Al-Hakim and Wahid Al-Hakim.
As a co-owner, whatever job needs doing any day of the week becomes Halaby’s responsibility, whether it’s helping in the kitchen washing dishes, investigating parking lot issues in the shopping center, or maintaining the books of a major establishment that serves between 200 and 300 or more customers each day for lunch, dinner, and late night meals – while also supervising Carnival’s professional catering services for many Southern California parties, receptions, weddings, and holiday celebrations during the year.
In the restaurant, one is immediately greeted by the bustling sounds of family and friends. Countless families and friends come together to enjoy the splendid meal set before them without concern for anything beyond their homemade grape leaves, international salads, and the family’s Lebanese lentil soup made daily (since the menu points it out as the house specialty, one can hardly blame them). Every day, forks clatter, men and women tell jokes, children are happy and laugh loudly, and Arabic coffee flows as the staff hurriedly attend the wants of hungry patrons, many of whom have been customers for decades.
From start to finish, Carnival centers on family. Between describing the activities of his five sons and grandchildren, Halaby articulates the mission of the restaurant. “This restaurant is a family thing, and we want to keep it that way. We can’t have it losing its form, going into dysfunction or chaos…once you have a family, you always have a family. These values are evident when one examines our menu of mouthwatering appetizers, entrees, salads, and desserts, that also boasts Mama’s Traditional Ashtalia Pudding (a family recipe made with milk, sugar, and orange blossom water and topped with pistachios), and Mama’s Homemade Baklava (a syrup-doused pastry made up of countless layers of filo and filled with finely chopped nuts) among it temptations.”
“On Mondays, customers hurry in to order our homemade molokhia special, it’s one of a kind. Molokhia is a leafy green known as Jute Mallow or Egyptian Spinach, used in a popular savory soup or stew, especially in the Middle East and North Africa. It is characterized by its thick texture and is seasoned with garlic and coriander before being served with rice pilaf or bread. High in vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium, molokhia is a nutritious part of various regional cuisines,” says Halaby.
Sunday is a big day at Carnival, Halaby adds, thanks to the restaurant’s loyal church-going crowd and many dedicated followers. All told, it’s a day of family, feast, and enjoyment for young and old, Lebanese and American and all in between.
One review on Trip Advisor says, “Delicious food made with the best fresh ingredients. It made us feel as if we were in Lebanon. We ordered appetizers (hummus, balila, Fattoush salad), kebabs and salmon. Everything was great and exceeded our expectations.” Another review says, “Have been going to Carnival for over thirty years. The best middle eastern food around. The menu is fantastic, the prices are reasonable and the customer service is superb. Their baba ghanoush, tabbouleh and hummus are all delicious, all of their meats are cooked fresh. Their specials are so good. The Friday Special is a chicken with rice. It tastes just like my grandma’s cooking once did. If you like home cooking, then this is the place.”
In 2023 at the Infaturation.com website, Brant Cox wrote, “Carnival is a Sherman Oaks staple where the people-watching is even more important than the solid Lebanese food you’ll eat. Sure, you’ll fill up on well-cooked chicken shawarma and consider ordering seconds of their fantastic lentil soup, but that’s not really why you’re at this dimly-lit strip mall spot. You’re here because it’s nice to know places where couples read newspapers in booths together and little old ladies scream ‘More baklava, Jeanine!’ at their waitresses like it’s a family potluck that still exists.”
“Our desserts and sweets especially the baklava, knafeh, namoura, and Mama’s Traditional Ashtalia Pudding are served with a good strong cup of Arabic coffee. The end results of these dishes and flavors take on a meaning of great pride in a rich heritage and an artful cooking skill that customarily every family must master only at home. You can be assured that Carnival’s respected chefs and servers will continue this tradition of cooking and dining excellence to delight your appetite and make you feel at home with every visit,” adds Halaby.
Carnival Restaurant, 4356 Woodman Ave., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Phone: (818) 784-3469
