Shafaa Halal restaurant

I've canceled my internet service at home, so updates may be slow and pictures will be difficult to post.

Last Saturday we went to Shafaa Halal restaurant for my birthday dinner. I'm 41 now. I don't have any strong feelings about being in the 5th decade of my life, so there's no wisdom or angst that I feel I need to impart.


The birthday invitation:

Saturday afternoon you are invited to Chez Brent for some light snacks and optional mild legal stimulants.

At 5:40 we'll be departing to eat Turkish food at

Shafaa Halal Foods
12211 Hawthorne Blvd.
Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 675-3400

Dress is casual. Food will be an experiment (non fatal, most likely, as we are taking only a shallow dive into the murky waters of LA dining).

I was told that Shafaa means healing in Turkish, perhaps implying mental and health benefits to the restaurant. That wasn't far off the mark: service was gracious, decor was nice, and the food was delicious. There were few other patrons, but the owner reports that he has a large lunch crowd, but downtown Hawthorne probably doesn't draw much of a crowd at night. There was a Muslim community center adjacent to the restaurant which had a full parking lot - perhaps there's more patrons after services.

We ended up with a couple platters of saffron rice, salad, and assorted kabobs (shrimp, beef, ground lamb, chicken) and a rotisserie chicken plus assorted appetizers. We supplemented with an additional large plate of stuffed grape leaves. No alcohol is served at the restaurant, so many of us had a refreshing mango juice or mint tea instead.

The food was excellent overall. Even our pickiest eater liked it. Hits: ground lamb kabobs, rotisserie chicken, saffron rice. Nits: slightly overcooked chicken kabob.

We'll then retire again to Chez Brent where we'll enjoy sugary delights and more mild legal stimulants. Candles may or may not be featured on top of some sort of notional and symbolic, yet still delicious, cake.

Regrets only.

My mother made a delicious desert with whipped lemon curd layered with fresh fruit. I called it California Trifle, but it has a real name. I opened presents and then we ended up talking until midnight.

My brother and sister in law have a house renovation also, so we always catch up on the latest progress and trade tips. My sister has recently been giving strong decision making advice (basically spend less time dithering - make a decision and move forward) but I like to keep my options open. Fortunately, my brother and I managed to work out some house design details that allow me to proceed with surety on the kitchen, knowing that I'm not boxing myself out of different options later.