Greer's OC

What started out as a passion project for Yusuf Abdo, 65, of Jerusalem, a retired a engineer, who bought a flailing Middle Eastern restaurant in Anaheim’s Little Arabia in 2006 and named it the Olive Tree, without any restaurant experience, but plenty of love for Arabic home cooking, has prospered into Orange County’s top rated Middle Eastern restaurant. It’s been praised by the OC Weekly, Los Angeles Times, OC Register, Saveur, Westways, Riviera, and soon, even a review in the New York Times.   

Abdo’s Olive Tree is all about home-style Arabic cooking; there aren’t any hookahs or late night entertainment. It’s just Abdo in the kitchen cooking up his favorite dishes from Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, and all over the Middle East. He doesn’t want anyone to go home hungry and makes sure of it. Portions are ample and even those who grew up on Arabic foods say the Olive Tree rivals their mom’s cooking. You get the feeling like you’re eating at someone’s home, not a restaurant, and that’s the way he wants it.

Each morning Abdo starts his day cooking fresh complex dishes with dozens of secret spices and offers two daily specials.

Favorites include a Saudi Arabian dish called Sayadiyet Samak, a seasoned Talapia, deep fried and served with tahineh sauce, a spicy salad, and brown rice that's cooked with 22 spices mixed with filet fish; the Kabsa lamb is a Saudi Arabian brown rice cooked with 17 spices and served with lamb shanks slowly cooked up to 4 hours and served with cucumber yogurt sauce; the combination kebab plate with skewered marinated chicken, kufta and lamb served with plain rice, grilled veggies and cucumber yogurt sauce; and Mansaf served only on Fridays, a tender lamb shoulder cooked in a hot yogurt broth served with rice and the yogurt broth it's cooked in. 

Delicious side dishes include kebbeh, cracked wheat mixed with ground beef, stuffed with spices, onions and pine nuts; the hot and crispy falafels served with tahini sauce are considered the best in Orange County; the fatit hummus topped with tahini sauce, spicy olive oil, toasted pine nuts, and fried pita; tart and creamy labne with eggplant; and traditional fattoush salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, bell peppers and doused with pita chips.

Olive Tree is also open for breakfast on the weekends. The authentic breakfast dishes served include falafel, hummus, mutabal, foul, and fatit hummus.

At the end of the day, all foods are donated to a nearby church and mosque. Yusuf’s  son, Alan Abdo, 38, who takes over in the late afternoon until closing, says the most fulfilling moments at the Olive Tree is seeing non-Arabs loving the food and bridging the gap between the Middle East and the West through cooking.

Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

512 S. Brookhurst St. in Anaheim. 714.535.2878.

Valentine’s Day Inspiration, Straight from the Matchmakers

By Leslie Christen

Whether you’re single, dating or in a committed relationship this Valentine’s Day, JE Consulting has a few tips for the lover in all of us…

Locked in Love?  Take this opportunity to embrace new experiences as a couple.  Think hot air balloon rides, horseback riding on the beach, or wine tasting. Savor the time making memories trying things you both have always wanted to.

Single and Social?  Seize the opportunity to host a cocktail party or a night on the town with friends.

Secretly Admire Someone?  Make your feelings known. Surprise your love interest with an impromptu night out with a creative twist.   

Designed to serve high caliber individuals in their pursuit of love and companionship, JE Consulting offers unparalleled quality and service through their innovative relationship and lifestyle consulting platform. Leading the industry through their people first philosophy, founders Janan Assaf and Elise Muhawi pride themselves on their uncanny ability to create synergistic matches based on real qualities, unlike algorithms. Through their signature welcoming style, the firm offers distinctive opportunities for both clients and members alike.

Combining their highly personalized approach with confidentiality, JE Consulting creates targeted relationship introductions with complete discretion. Navigating the increasingly complex world of dating for time pressed singles, the company’s comprehensive services include support such as date coaching, image consulting and custom recruiting which are all tailored to maximize each client and member’s time.  As a hybrid between a modern matchmaking company and a lifestyleconsulting firm, JE Consulting has created one of the most personalized relationship introduction firms in Southern California. 

Learn more at JananElise.com.