I have a theory that when it comes to dining, Long Beach has been long overlooked.
After ripping into the house-made Pita at Ammatoli, I'm quite sure of it. These big puffy pouches of warm fragrant air are the best carbs in town.
Order some Mezza if you'd like - the Hummus is good - nice texture, the Batata Harra is great - potatoes in a killer chili sauce, and fried Kibbeh is cool - dense, meaty little bites. All lovely, but honestly unnecessary. The pita is good enough to eat alone.
It's always Freekah Friday - this dish is an everyday must. The chicken is the best rotisserie I've ever tasted, and that green wheat underneath is a lightly-crisped heaven of texture. Add the nuttiness of almonds, the sweet-tart pomegranate seeds, and a cool cucumber and yogurt salad, and it's the most balanced plate you'll ever eat.
Meat Manoushe is a fun one as well, a fabulous flatbread topped with ground beef and lamb.
For dessert there's a Knafeh Bil Ishta, a barely sweet clotted cream with floral notes from the organ blossom syrup. It's rich and really not very sweet. Not my personal favorite, but still very good.
Pistachio Baklava is served with a scoop of ice cream, a beautiful combination. Sweet simplicity, just lose yourself in the layers of pastry, pistachio, and sticky-sweet honey.
Wow, what a meal. The dishes are simple yet complex, the flavors sophisticated yet approachable. Even the pickiest eaters can enjoy pita bread and chicken, and the price is more than reasonable for this high caliber of cooking. A unique perfection is found here, and it's a lunch spot I highly recommend.
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