The celebrated chef of Sqirl refreshes the Passover meal

by Naomi Pfefferman for JewishJournal

On a rainy Friday morning, the weather did not deter the devotees lined up outside Sqirl, Jessica Koslow’s nationally renowned cafe. Long lines are a staple at this tiny, vibrant Virgil Avenue storefront, located in a nondescript East Hollywood neighborhood not far from the hipper boulevards of Silver Lake. Inside, servers laden with colorful plates navigated the crowded space with the litheness of ballet dancers.

Despite serving only breakfast and lunch, Sqirl has amassed a cult following and myriad awards for dishes that meld flavors from North Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean — all prepared with farm-fresh California produce. Consider the Kokuho brown rice bowl, infused with sorrel pesto, preserved Meyer lemon, house-fermented hot sauce, watermelon radish and French sheep feta, then topped with a perfectly poached egg. Or the crispy rice salad flavored with lemongrass, mint, cilantro and ginger. Then there’s Koslow’s signature choice of some 35 seasonal jams she makes from scratch — including blood orange, Persian mulberry and elephant heart plum preserves.

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