Secret Syrian pop-up in a house, and pizza with pizzazz

By Helene Seifer

One of the pandemic’s unexpected benefits is the innovation brought to the food world, including a panoply of pop-ups. Anyone interested in a fun, unusual eating experience is encouraged to seek one out.

Most of the ad hoc eateries are started by restaurant workers who were displaced when COVID-19 forced closures. Others are efforts by accomplished home cooks who hope to one day own a food truck or restaurant.

Nawal , on the other hand, is the creation of three siblings who wanted to honor their mother’s Syrian cooking.

The pop-up is a hobby more than a stepping stone, as it’s only open on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.

The rest of the week, two of the siblings are woodworkers who’ve built cabinetry for homes in Hancock Park, the South Bay and restaurant 71 Above, the stunning Downtown restaurant with a 360-degree view.

A simple residential home not far from Dodger Stadium is the setting for Nawal’s fare.

Walk alongside the property until arriving at a hole cut

the Menu

in their wooden fence with a menu affixed to it. After ordering and paying, find a seat at one of a few tables in the backyard.

The siblings prepare their dishes in a ghost kitchen, an industrial kitchen that one rents and that has been per-