Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published June 18, 2026 9:56 AM
Sahar Shomali, owner of Kouzeh, stands beside a poster for barbari, the Tehran-style flatbread that inspired her to open the Mid-Wilshire bakery.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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Topline:
Kouzeh, a new Iranian bakery on Wilshire Boulevard in Mid-Wilshire, offers 25 widely different breads, some savory, some sweet, each tied to a specific Iranian province — built not from family recipes, but from research, friends' descriptions and a single cookbook that chef Sahar Shomali's cousin sent from Iran.
Why it matters: As Iran prepares to play Belgium at SoFi Stadium on June 21, the mood inside Kouzeh is more complicated than celebratory. Shomali doesn't follow sports, but she checks the news from Iran every morning before the bread goes in — a ritual she shares with many of her customers, who stop in for a taste of home while carrying the weight of a war happening half a world away.
Why now: With the World Cup bringing global attention to L.A.'s diaspora communities, Kouzeh is a reminder that the story isn't really about the match. It's about a bakery on Wilshire holding both grief and bread in the same hands, every single morning.
For the Iranian diaspora in Los Angeles, the feelings around Iran's World Cup participation have been complicated. Monday's game between Iran and New Zealand ended in a 2-2 draw at SoFi Stadium. Now, Iran prepares to face Belgium at the same stadium on Sunday in a match that continues to carry weight well beyond the scoreline.
For Sahar Shomali, who owns Kouzeh, an Iranian bakery located in the Miracle Mile neighborhood, those feelings live somewhere between the oven and the morning news.
Kouzeh takes its name from the Farsi word for a clay jar. A small row of them sits on the bakery case that greets customers when they walk in. On the wall above, a laminated National Geographic map of Iran hangs alongside a small illustration featuring an Iranian saying: "What comes out of the vessel is whatever's inside it."
Sahar Shomali didn't plan for the name and the saying to connect. She just liked the way Kouzeh sounded.
Barbari is one of Iran's most beloved breads — a long, oval flatbread with a golden, slightly crisp crust and a soft, chewy interior. It’s as common in Tehran as a baguette is in Paris. And for Shomali, it was the one thing she couldn't stop thinking about after she left and arrived in the U.S.
A selection of breads at Kouzeh, including barbari (far left), kelaneh (the folded triangle), and several sweet breads tied to specific Iranian provinces.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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Growing up, she lived a 10-minute walk from a barbari bakery, and her father would go every morning before breakfast, coming home with two pieces still hot from the oven. There is a running understanding among Iranians, she said, that you never make it home with the bread whole. Someone always tears off a piece on the walk back.
Kouzeh, an Iranian bakery on Wilshire Boulevard in Mid-Wilshire, opened earlier this year.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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"I really missed that," she said. "Especially the barbari. That was my thing."
When she got to Los Angeles, she went looking for a replacement— and found Persian bakeries making barbari that were, to her, not the real thing. So she did what she calls the opposite: went to culinary school, and spent years moving as far from Iranian cuisine as possible, taking every Californian and French restaurant job she could find.
"So that I could just learn everything that I didn't know," she said.
It worked. In 2018 she left her last pastry chef job and applied everything she'd learned to make barbari. Once she felt she’d cracked it, Kouzeh followed.
Shomali doesn't just stick to barbari. She offers 25 very different breads, some sweet, some savory, each tied to a specific Iranian province. Standouts include kelaneh, a savory Kurdish flatbread with an herb filling — scallion, parsley, cilantro — pillowy soft with a slight char, somewhere between a flour tortilla and a scallion pancake. The kakouli bakhtiyari, made with grape molasses and flavored with fennel and fenugreek seeds, walks the line between sweet and savory. And eashly koukah, a festive bread from Tabriz filled with ginger and turmeric paste, rounds out a case that spans nearly the full breadth of the country.
The bakery case at Kouzeh, where each bread and pastry is labeled with its city or province of origin.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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None of the breads come from family recipes — Shomali built each one through research, conversations with friends, a single bread book her cousin sent from Iran, and a culinary background that lets her reverse-engineer a recipe from a description alone. The shelves lining the walls tell a similar story: Saba Jams, small-batch preserves made by a childhood friend now based in San Francisco; torshi from Nicole's Kitchen; goods from ZoZo Baking — all Iranian women food makers in California that Shomali sought out personally.
"I called them all up," she said. "I said, I have shelves, and I want Persian goods on those shelves."
While having little interest in sports or the World Cup, Shomali's heart lies with her home country. Every morning, before the bread goes in, she checks the news from Iran — a ritual her customers share.
Even mid-rush, Sahar Shomali makes time for the regulars who keep coming back.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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"We stress about it together, we grieve about it together. But people still show up and buy bread."
It's not lost on her, the duality of how she and her community feel torn between the country they adopted and the one they came from.
"Both of my countries are at war," she said. "I can't take sides in either one."
Fiona Ng
is LAist's deputy managing editor and leads a team of reporters who explore food, culture, history, events and more.
Published August 7, 2026 9:19 PM
Ridge Fire evacuation zones.
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Screengrab from CalFire incident page.
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Topline:
Evacuation orders and warnings in both L.A. and Kern counties are in effect for the Ridge Fire, near the L.A.-Kern county line.
What we know so far: The fire started at 3:02 p.m. near Gorman School Road in Gorman, according to Cal Fire and grew to 1,000 acres in two hours. Both northbound and southbound lanes of the 5 Freeway were briefly shutdown.
Read on ... for more on evacuations and weather conditions.
This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:
The 5 Freeway has reopened after a brush fire in Gorman near the L.A.-Kern county line shut down both northbound and southbound lanes at around 5 p.m.
Evacuation orders and warnings in both L.A. and Kern counties are in effect for the Ridge Fire, which started at 3:02 p.m. near Gorman School Road in Gorman, according to Cal Fire.
The fire quickly grew to 1,000 acres in less than two hours.
It was 0% contained as of 9 p.m. Friday.
A Wildfire Smoke Advisory has been issued by South Coast AQMD through 2 p.m. on Saturday for areas around Gorman.
The basics
Acreage: 1,057 acres
Containment: 0
Structures destroyed/damaged: Unknown
Deaths: None reported.
Injuries: None reported.
Evacuation map and orders
Evacuation orders have been issued by the Los Angeles County Fire Department for the following areas:
Federal court ruling could affect LA grant funding
Aaron Schrank
has been on the ground, reporting on homelessness and other issues in L.A. for more than a decade.
Published August 7, 2026 4:58 PM
A worker with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) helps a person experiencing homelessness move a cart with their possessions in Los Angeles.
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Patrick T. Fallon
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
A federal court struck down the Trump administration's latest attempt to shift federal homelessness funding away from permanent housing. The decision could change the pace of a separate legal battle between the L.A. region's lead homelessness agency and the federal government.
The ruling: U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy in Rhode Island found Friday that the Department of Housing and Urban Development violated federal law by issuing new requirements for federal homelessness grants without first seeking public comment.
Why it matters: As a result, the judge threw out the department’s 2026 funding notice for its main federal grant application as a result. That notice officially set the terms and conditions for how communities like L.A. can apply for federal grants.
The background: It's the second time McElroy has struck down HUD's grant regulations on the same grounds. Friday's decision means HUD will have to issue new guidelines for its annual homelessness grant funding competition.
A federal court struck down the Trump administration's latest attempt to shift federal homelessness funding away from permanent housing. The decision could change the pace of a separate legal battle between the L.A. region's lead homelessness agency and the federal government.
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy in Rhode Island found Friday that the Department of Housing and Urban Development violated federal law by issuing new requirements for federal homelessness grants without first seeking public comment.
As a result, the judge threw out the department’s 2026 funding notice for its main federal grant application as a result. That notice officially set the terms and conditions for how communities like L.A. can apply for federal grants.
It's the second time McElroy has struck down HUD's grant regulations on the same grounds. Friday's decision means HUD will have to issue new guidelines for its annual homelessness grant funding competition.
"The court ruled that HUD violated the law when it attempted to shift Congress's priorities away from housing first and towards its own priorities of interim shelter and services," said Shayla Myers, an attorney with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.
The L.A. region was already in the process of preparing its application for federal grants based on regulations that were thrown out Friday. The deadline to submit was just weeks away.
The regulations would have directed a significant portion of funding away from permanent housing and toward transitional housing and treatment programs, prompting California and nearly two dozen other states to sue.
The Rhode Island decision could also change the pace of a separate legal battle between LAHSA and the federal government. The federal government suspended LAHSA from federal grant activity in June, putting $240 million in funding for the region in limbo.
Judge David O. Carter presided over a federal hearing this week, where LAHSA is looking to overturn the suspension. Carter is expected to decide early next week whether to temporarily block the suspension while the case proceeds to trial next year.
Keep up with LAist.
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Manny Valladares
is always looking for the next tasty bite to feature on "AirTalk" Food Friday on LAist 89.3.
Published August 7, 2026 3:39 PM
Wagyu Beef Cheek Rendang served with rotis.
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Johnny Lee
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Courtesy Rasarumah
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Top line:
Malaysian food takes on a variety of different food cultures from across Southeast Asia, which why local chef Johnny Lee wanted to learn more about it, leading to the Malaysian-fusion restaurant Rasarumah.
About the chef: Lee grew up in Los Angeles and went into the service industry following the 2008 recession. Since then, he opened Pearl River Deli, where he became well known for his Hainan chicken recipe. When that closed, he helped open Rasarumah.
Read on... to learn about the food we tried and how to have the best experience at Rasarumah.
Chef Johnny Lee stepped away from the food business for a short time after feeling burned out. With additional support from Last World Hospitality, Lee regained the energy to help build Rasarumah, a fusion restaurant influenced by Malaysian cuisine.
Lee grew up watching Japan's version of Iron Chef, but didn't see it as an option.
That changed after he graduated from college during the 2008 as he found work at restaurants, falling in love with the fast pace and hands-on work.
He sat down with Austin Cross, who hosts AirTalk every Friday, to explain what makes his Southeast Asian fusion cuisine stand out.
What inspired his menu?
Lee grew up in a Cantonese-Chinese family, having grown his knowledge of Southeast Asian cuisine through his work at Pearl River Deli, his Cantonese restaurant that's now closed.
One of the reasons he was interested in veering into Malaysian food?
"It's an extremely diverse group," Lee said.
The ideal Rasarumah experience
Lee recommends starting with a tiki drink and their pu pu platter, which gives you a little bit of everything.
Next, try one of their cold salads to lighten things up. And for the finale, the Rendang.
Chef-owner Johnny Lee was born in China, but grew up in Lincoln Heights.
His collaborators at Last World Hospitality have helped build other L.A. restaurants like Queen’s Raw Bar & Grill and Hermon’s.
Rasarumah recently introduced a whole menu of tiki drinks.
Menu items we tried
Beef rendang (slow-braised wagyu, pickles, raita, lime and roti)
Rojak (salad with pineapple, cucumber, green apple, watermelon radish, herbs, tamarind and crispy shallots)
Pork Skewers (char siu pork jowl, sesame, chive and hot mustard)
How to visit
Address: 3107 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057
Hours: Sunday to Monday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Tuesday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Cost: An order of beef rendang costs $48, rojak costs $14 and pork skewers cost $6 each.
What should we try next?
Have a question or comment about a segment? Want to pitch us a story?
Fill out the form below, and please include an email address so we're able to follow up if necessary! We're not able to respond to every inquiry, but all submissions are read and reviewed by our production team.
Traditional Indigenous dancers perform at Mundo Maya Day in MacArthur Park in an undated photo.
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Courtesy Mundo Maya Foundation
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Topline:
Sunday will mark the 8th annual Mundo Maya Day at MacArthur Park. The celebration returns for the first time since the summer of 2024 after planners postponed the event for a year due to immigration enforcement concerns.
Celebrating Maya culture: The event will celebrate Maya culture and indigeneity through a Maya ceremony, a game of Maya ball, food, and marimba. The event will also feature dances from Chiapas, Yucatan, and Guatemala. The event will go from 5 – 8 p.m. and will include a backpack giveaway.
Why it matters: A census study conducted by the local indigenous woman-led nonprofit organization CIELO (Comunidades Indígenas en Liderazgo) showed roughly 24,000 residents of Mayan descent lived in Los Angeles. The regions of Pico Union, Koreatown, and Westlake consist of a highly diverse indigenous population ranging from Zapotec, K’iche’, Chinanteco, Mixe and many more groups according to CIELO. Last year's event was postponed due to immigration enforcement concerns.
Sara Mijares moved to Los Angeles from Yucatan, Mexico when she was 15 years old. She had left her home behind but not her culture.
Thousands of miles away from her hometown of Muna, she’s preserving the Maya culture she grew up with for the indigenous community in Los Angeles.
Sunday will mark the 8th annual Mundo Maya Day at MacArthur Park. The celebration returns for the first time since the summer of 2024 after planners postponed the event for a year due to immigration enforcement concerns. Mundo Maya Day is being held in partnership with MAC·LA, formerly Levitt Pavilion, who are currently curating the summer concert series at MacArthur Park.
The event will celebrate Maya culture and indigeneity through a Maya ceremony, a game of Maya ball, food, and marimba. The event will also feature dances from Chiapas, Yucatan, and Guatemala. The event will go from 5 – 8 p.m. and will include a backpack giveaway.
“MacArthur Park is the heart of the Maya immigrant community,” said Mijares. “When we come here, we don’t leave our culture behind. It comes with us.”
She remembers going to MacArthur Park as a child with her father and seeing groups of Maya Yucatecos from Yucatan. She remembers how beautiful and safe the park felt, the community environment that reminded her of home.
Mundo Maya Day organizers gather at the “Grieving Sun Mural” in MacArthur Park in an undated photo.
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Courtesy Mundo Maya Foundation
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It was this feeling she wanted to bring back to the community when she had the idea for the Mundo Maya Day. Around 900 guests attended the first official celebration at MacArthur Park in 2018.
A census study conducted by the local indigenous woman-led nonprofit organization CIELO (Comunidades Indígenas en Liderazgo) showed roughly 24,000 residents of Mayan descent lived in Los Angeles.
The CIELO Organization says, “The ‘Maya’ category aggregates all Mayan groups. However, this is an umbrella term that includes communities from Guatemala and Mexico that often have different and distinct languages, cultures, and traditions.”
The regions of Pico Union, Koreatown, and Westlake consist of a highly diverse indigenous population ranging from Zapotec, K’iche’, Chinanteco, Mixe and many more groups according to CIELO.
The celebration will also add a final-hour dedication to Yucatan and honor Armando Manzanero, a Mayan Grammy winner who died in 2020.
Mijares admits there is always a concern with the risks of immigration enforcement, but is confident families will feel safe at this year’s event. The celebration will have security guards present throughout the event.
During this time last summer, federal agents arrested over 4,000 people, according to a report by the Department of Economic Opportunity. By the end of 2025, that grew to over 14,000 people, who were mostly residents without a criminal record, according to researchers from UCLA and UC Berkeley.
In June, Immigration and Customs Enforcement recorded 43,138 arrests across the nation, the highest monthly total of the current administration. Immigration enforcement in Los Angeles has been much more subtle in its execution in comparison to last year but enforcement numbers continue to increase in the city.
Still, Mundo Maya organizers felt like they could not deprive their community of the event.
“At some point in life we need to decide if we let fear control us or not. So we have to take that step and say we’re here,” said Mijares.
She hopes that for at least the three hours they can bring life, music, and healing to the community. She welcomes anyone interested in learning about Maya and indigenous cultures to show up.
“We want people to feel proud of who you are and where you come from. Feel proud of who we are here, the backbone of the country.”
Organizers recommend several ways to get to the event:
Via the train: The Metro B Line to the MacArthur Park / Westlake Station
Via the bus: Metro bus lines 18, 20, 51, 351, 603, 720
Parking: Athena Parking at 611 S. Carondelet St.
Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnics, blankets and lawn chairs.
