Jaffa Warms Up West Third Street With Decadent Modern Israeli Cuisine

It’s a new day at the former Blue Plate Oysterette on West Third Street. The smallish storefront space along one of LA’s busiest culinary boulevards has been blown out to reveal the new Jaffa, a light and airy Israeli restaurant that bridges a generation.

It’s hard not to be charmed by the new M. Winter Design-built space, with its soaring ceiling and flood of natural light. The front of the building has been opened up fully thanks to a pair of wide windows that join the patio and interior dining room. Sandstone pavers, drought-tolerant plants, and old wooden touches combine with modern fabrics and mid-century lighting for an old-meets-new approach inside.

Menu-wise, Jaffa is entirely of the moment. The modern Israeli restaurant by chef/partner Anne Conness (of Sausal) has the feel of places like Mh Zh, Kismet, and Botanica, but with the same cross-cultural influences as Downtown’s The Exchange. Look for dishes like a North African chickpea stew with cauliflower, or albacore crudo with Fresno chiles — all things meant to be split and shared with fellow diners. There’s a full bar as well, with a cocktail program by way of Aly Iwamoto.

Jaffa officially opens for dinner only on January 31, with lunch starting February 5 and brunch to follow. Expect hours at that point from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. or later most nights.

Jaffa
8048 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA