The Astronomer, June, and I made our way to Dune for lunch last Sunday. I’d been meaning to check out this highly touted Atwater Village falafelria since it was opened earlier this year by the folks who run Elf Cafe.

June really liked Dune’s outdoor seating and fast-casual service, while The Astronomer and I appreciated that our spread arrived quickly. Efficient service is one of the perks of waiting a solid six months before trying a “hot” spot.    

The menu here is awesomely simple, offering just a trio of sandwiches, a few composed plates, and a smattering of salads and snacks. The Astronomer and I ordered a little bit of everything and enjoyed leftovers the following day.

With the summer sun beating down on Glendale Boulevard, we were both looking forward to the Rosemary Lemonade ($4). Unfortunately, the drink’s herbaceous notes weren’t as pronounced as we had hoped. It tasted like plain ol’ lemonade. 

To start, we nibbled on lovely organic dates ($4) dressed up with rosewater, olive oil, and sea salt.

The hummus plate ($6), which came with malfouf (a cabbage slaw of sorts), olives, pickles, and greens, was a meal in and of itself. The perfectly pliable grilled-to-order flat bread was the highlight of the platter.

In addition to sharing two appetizers, we went for gold and ordered all three sandwiches. The vegetarian “Pickled Beets” sandwich ($9) on Bub and Grandma’s ciabatta came chock full of good stuff: toum (garlic spread), pickled beets, capers, kalamata olives, marinated onions, Bulgarian sheep feta, soft boiled egg, shoestring potatoes, and greens.

Every messy mouthful was terrific!

Also meat-free and delicious was the “Organic Green Herb Falafel” ($8) on house-made flat bread with hummus, pickles, malfouf, tahini, and shoestring potatoes. The chickpea nuggets were crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and satisfying through and through.

My favorite sandwich was the “Pasture Raised Lamb” ($10) served on flat bread with toum, lemon-turmeric yogurt, marinated onions, and greens. The lamb—ground, grilled, and caramelized—was wonderfully gamey. Love!

Atwater Villagers are lucky to have this sweet little spot.

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Dune
3143 Glendale Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90039

One year ago: {swoon} The Breakfast Pretzel at Field Trip
Two years ago: Sushi Kimagure – Pasadena
Three years ago: L’Astrance – Paris
Four years ago: 53rd and 6th Halal Cart – New York City
Five years ago: Great Balls on Tires – Los Angeles
Six years ago: Goat Cheese and Olive Bread
Seven years ago: Urvashi & Love Noodle House – Ho Chi Minh City
Eight years ago: Cháo Chả – Porridge with Braised Pork Sausage