West Coast Armenian Cooking Draws Notice as Yerord Mas Opens in Los Angeles

Arthur Grigoryan’s Yerord Mas opened earlier this summer in Los Angeles, drawing attention for its approach to Armenian cooking. The restaurant, whose name means ‘Third Table’ in Armenian, has been the subject of recent national coverage, including a review published today in the New York Times.

Yerord Mas sits on a quiet stretch of Glendale Boulevard. At lunch this past Sunday, tables filled quickly with families sharing plates of khash, stuffed eggplant, and lavash still warm from the oven. Grigoryan, who previously cooked at several Los Angeles kitchens, focuses on traditional Armenian dishes reinterpreted with California produce.

The menu changes regularly, according to staff. Recent highlights included lamb ribs glazed with pomegranate molasses and a summer salad of purslane and stone fruit. Plates range from $12 for small meze to $34 for larger entrees. Diners lingered over Armenian coffee and apricot preserves on Sunday afternoon, taking shelter from the heat indoors.

While Yerord Mas is over 2,000 miles from New York, the arrival of new-generation Armenian cooking on the West Coast has drawn notice from chefs and diners here. Several local Armenian restaurants in Queens and Brooklyn have seen increased interest. Some owners attribute this to the broader attention on restaurants like Yerord Mas.

For New Yorkers traveling to Los Angeles in the coming weeks, Yerord Mas has become a recommended stop. Reservations are booking up quickly for weekend evenings, according to the restaurant’s website.