Whether you’re just looking for pita and hummus or are ready to try some frogs’ legs and quail, Marouch does both expertly.

While many look to Glendale’s palaces of excess for Middle Eastern and Armenian food, insiders come to Marouch when they’re in search of good food over spectacle. The restaurant does have a few decorative touches, such as a small fountain and murals on the walls, but the focus is very successfully on the food. Basics such as falafel, hummus and shawarma are done beautifully, as are the lamb yogurt kebabs served with grilled onion-stuffed pita slices. (The dish is a house specialty.) Meze platters can be ordered by number of people in a group, and are a fun way to try many dishes, from stuffed grape leaves to tabbouleh to Armenian sausages. Marouch offers a few authentic desserts as well, but chances are you’ll be too pleasantly full to try them. —Katherine Spiers