Another Los Angeles transplant, Cleo gives a nod to the former Sahara hotel by retaining the slanted ceiling, an original design feature of the space, but updating it with a glamorous black-and-white portrait of Cleopatra. The big open room is narrow and long, with more booths than two- or four-top tables. The main event for diners is the mezze, a small plate of food meant to be shared and in a specific way: fresh, warm flat bread is delivered to the table in paper bags so that eaters can tear a piece and dip it into perfect baba ghanoush or creamy lebneh cheese salty with feta. Other stars among the little plates are crispy, deep-fried Brussels sprouts tossed with chili, hazelnuts, and a spritz of lemon. Flatbreads are another popular item, the Middle Eastern version of pizza, topped with powerful ingredients like merguez sausage, or wild mushrooms with arugula and gruyere cheese. Once you’re done sharing, from the open kitchen in the middle come main entrees like lamb cooked in a tagine (a traditional Moroccan clay pot), or a hearty eggplant moussaka, layered with béchamel and Bolognese sauces.