Banadir Somali Restaurant

The only Somali restaurant in L.A., Banadir is a no-frills eatery where currency from international students and travelers dot the walls and the kitchen serves a tightly curated menu of traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes. The must-order in the evening hours is the goat and rice, which comes with basbaas, a mouthwatering spicy green sauce made with cilantro, white vinegar and jalapenos. All savory dishes come with a whole banana meant to be eaten in between bites and spiced black tea, complete with endless refills. At breakfast, you’ll find platters of chicken suqaar served alongside large half moons of anjera—a fermented sorghum pancake similar to Ethiopian injera.