I had my first brik a decade ago, at a long-shuttered restaurant in downtown L.A. appropriately named the Briks, a melting pot of Middle Eastern and Spanish influences with a focus on the phyllo-wrapped pastry ubiquitous across Tunisia. The savory fillings vary, but the exterior should be fried and golden, and you’ll typically find an egg in the center. At Barsha, chef Lenora Marouani’s brik is closer to a triangular egg roll, with a bubbly wonton wrapper shell that encases soft potato, chopped tuna and capers. The filling is bunched into the center, with long, crisp shards of pastry at all three corners. To dip, there’s a smoky harissa aioli smeared on half the plate. It’s the preferred way to begin a meal at Marouani and husband Adnen’s Hermosa Beach restaurant. Inspired by Adnen’s Tunisian roots, the menu encompasses chickpea stew, shakshuka and turmeric-stained chicken mosli. The couscous that accompanies the lamb meatballs is about triple the size of the Moroccan variety, submerged in a savory tomato stew and served with a spoonful of cool labneh. A true neighborhood staple as well as a city-wide destination, it’s just the sort of place where I’d be lucky to be a regular. — J.H.

1141 AVIATION BLVD., HERMOSA BEACH, (424) 452-6266 l BARSHALIFE.COM