Photos By Billy Bennight for The Los Angeles Beat
The second SpireWorks has opened in Eagle Rock, to the delight of foodies living in the area, adding another eating option to the already diverse mix at York and Colorado Boulevards. Highland Park and Eagle Rock are the new hot spots in LA, and Occidental College is nearby, so they are located in the middle of all the action. SpireWorks specializes in Döner style grilled meat, which originated in Turkey. The creators and owners spent two years creating the best Döner grilled meat they could. That process included backwards engineering, learning how the best Döner meats were made, and then bringing their newfound knowledge back to LA to provide a unique dining experience half a world away.
The three different options for eating Döner style at SpireWorks are 2 meat choices, chicken and beef (their meats are antibiotic and hormone free), or a vegan option of a specially made Kofte, that’s referred to as “Spire.” These are enjoyed on fresh made bread, or a bed of rice or salad that is referred to as the “Base.” The last part of the process is the “Finish,” which includes sauces or garnishes for your meal. These menu choices allow you to use these various ingredients and options to design your own dish. The flavor accents from these choices are described in world locations, such as: Baja California, Little Italy, New York, Bangkok, Carolina, Peking and Istanbul. Carolina is barbecue, Bangkok has a Thai influence and Istanbul is a traditional Döner approach to the food.
One of the sides is twice-cooked baby Dutch yellow potatoes, which I found a nice diversion from traditional french fries and proved to be tasty. I found the Istanbul sandwich to be my favorite. That’s likely because of my familiarity and expectations for the dish outside of SpireWorks. Baja California, Carolina and Bangkok are the other 4 I tasted; Bangkok was the best and the Baja California was my least favorite. I got stuck on the Lemon Berry Açai “Stubborn Fair Trade Certified Cane Sugar Soda” and I just couldn’t help going back! Desert options are the spire cakes in flavors like Banana Cream Pie, Chocolate Ganache, Dulce De Leche, Honey Mascarpone Strawberry Shortcake, Tiramisu. The Chocolate Ganache and Dulce De Leche were faves.
SpireWorks is a well conceived idea for a restaurant, adding a much needed accent to the Eagle Rock foodie options: varying from the Burger, Vietnamese, Thai, Pizza/Italian options that have saturated the area. SpireWorks can be found at 4945 B Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041. Open Daily 11am – 10pm and you can call (323) 895 -7888 for additional information.
