Elena’s

Elena’s is a little Greek and Armenian restaurant contains selections from both cuisines, though probably mostly Armenian: while there’s no spanakopita, moussaka, pastitsio, or other signature Greek dishes, there are numerous kebabs.

The City of Glendale probably has more Armenians than any city outside of Armenia — somewhere in the vicinity of 65,000 or more. During my numerous visits, I’ve seen that approximately half of the dinner business is take-out, mostly by locals.

What should I eat at Elena’s?

Dishes are available to suit most tastes, including a number of vegetarian selections, including stuffed eggplant, stuffed grape leaves (ask for the vegetarian option), falafel, tabouli, lentil soup, hummus, moutabal (eggplant dip), and the various salads. For carnivores like me, the chicken, lamb, and beef are superb. I have not yet tried the salmon or quail.

Service by owners Onik and Virginia (and their staff) is friendly, and the piped in music consists almost exclusively of Greek male vocalists. There is a single unisex rest room located off a backyard patio. Elena’s does not have a beer, wine, or liquor license. Free delivery is available within three miles of the restaurant.

*original post by James P.*