Local LA Favorite Adds a Twist to a Classic This June

Local LA Favorite Adds a Twist to a Classic This June
Mini Kabob’s Bold Flavors to Dazzle at EEEEEATSCON Food Festival

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

In the heart of Glendale, Mini Kabob stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of family and tradition. Founded in 1987 by a Persian Armenian named Ara, the restaurant was taken over by Ovakim and Alvard Martirosyan, who immigrated from Armenia in search of a brighter future. They brought with them authentic Armenian recipes enriched with Egyptian influences from their great-grandparents’ heritage, creating a unique culinary experience that has captivated locals and visitors alike.

Fast forward to 2015, when their son Armen Martirosyan joined the family business. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for perfection, Armen refined the restaurant’s recipes, earning Mini Kabob even more recognition, with the restaurant drawing in food enthusiasts from all corners of the world.

This summer, Mini Kabob will bring its rich heritage and innovative flavors to EEEEEATSCON in Santa Monica. The two-day food festival, known for uniting food lovers and local businesses, offers a platform for Mini Kabob to share its story and culinary creations with a broader audience. As Los Angeles rebuilds after the Southern California wildfires, EEEEEATSCON also serves as a beacon of hope and support for small businesses, with proceeds aiding local recovery efforts.

For Mini Kabob, participating in EEEEEATSCON is more than showcasing their dishes; it’s about connecting with the community and celebrating the resilience, diversity and creativity that define the greater Los Angeles region. As they prepare to impress event-goers with their creative menu, Mini Kabob remains committed to its roots, offering a taste of tradition and a promise of innovation.

1. What are you most excited about at this year’s EEEEEATSCON LA?
   What we’re most excited about is showcasing two wraps that mean a lot to us: our new Summer Chicken Thigh Caesar Wrap, which is only available at our Mini Kabob location in Glendale, and our Cheeseburger Wrap, which is exclusive to our Neighborly location in Westlake Village.
2. What inspired the creation of your EEEEEATSCON menu, and how do you balance innovation with tradition in your culinary approach?
   The Summer Caesar Wrap was 100% inspired by EEEEEATSCON. Caesar wraps are such a hit in LA right now, and we knew we had to approach it our way. So we grilled the traditional Armenian way over grapevines and charcoal, took our chicken thighs, and paired them with our toum Aleppo for heat and depth and our homemade falafel croutons for texture. Then we wrapped it all in a Mejorado flour tortilla. It’s bold, simple, and rooted in everything we do. That one’s exclusive to Glendale. The Cheeseburger Wrap, which you’ll only find at our Westlake spot, brings that same energy—flavor-forward and unmistakably us.
3. How do you incorporate local ingredients or cultural influences into your festival offerings, and why is this important to your restaurant’s identity?We incorporate local ingredients by supporting small businesses across LA, from using Tortillas Mejorado to sourcing tortillas and produce from local vendors and farmers’ markets in Atwater and Montrose. As a chef born and raised in LA, it’s important to me that we show love to our city and community. It’s more than ingredients; it’s about keeping other small businesses alive as we try to live out our dream, too.
4. What challenges and opportunities do you see for small restaurants in today’s culinary landscape, and how do events like EEEEEATSCON LA help address them?
   There are a lot of challenges right now. Food costs have jumped almost 25% in the last month alone. It’s getting harder to survive, especially for small, independent spots like ours. But there’s still opportunity, and a lot of that comes from platforms like The Infatuation and events like EEEEEATSCON. They give us a chance to showcase our food to a bigger audience, tap into LA’s support, and tell our story in a way that connects.
5. What do you hope attendees will take away from experiencing your restaurant’s offerings at the festival, and how do you plan to engage with them beyond the event?
   We hope people walk away with a better understanding of what it takes to run a small restaurant and how much work goes into every part of it, from prep to dish to front of house. It takes a whole team to make it happen every day. If we can leave people with great food and a genuine experience, our hope is they’ll visit us after the festival, whether in Glendale or Westlake, and continue that connection beyond just one event. EEEEEATSCON is a special moment for us, but our goal is always a long-term relationship with our community.

Mark your calendars for EEEEEATSCON on June 28th and 29th at the iconic Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. For more details and to grab your tickets, visit eeeeeatscon.com/los-angeles, exclusively available for Chase cardholders.