Greer's OC

Dining

Dizzy for Neapolitan Pizza

08.20.13

If you haven’t yet discovered the first West Coast Spin! Neapolitan Pizza that opened earlier this summer in Orange, at the Stadium Promenade, near Honda Center and Angels Stadium, you need to go taste their hand-spun, stone-fired, traditional thin-and-bubbly crust, rustic whole wheat crust, and gluten-free pizzas.

Each day, SPIN! roasts mushrooms, caramelized onions, artichokes, and even capers, pecans, pineapples, pine nuts, and pancetta its stone hearth ovens. You can choose between traditional Pizza Rossa (red pizzas with crushed Roma tomato sauce) and Pizza Bianca (white pizzas with roasted olive oil glaze), and a variety of hand-grated cheeses.

There are also a variety of appetizers, soups, salads, signature Panini and Italian deli sandwiches, and tasty gelato. All of SPIN!’s soups, salad dressings, pizza toppings, and ingredients are prepared fresh daily from fresh produce and meats. You need to try their blood orange sangria, too!

The award-winning, premium fast-casual concept born in Kansas City offers artisan foods made from fresh ingredients at affordable prices, even its premium wines are reasonably priced.

SPIN! was founded by restaurant pros Gail and Richard Lozoff and Edwin Brownell. (The Lozoffs started Bagel & Bagel, which later became Einstein Bros. Bagels.) The couple travelled throughout Italy visiting pizzerias and wanted to bring a fun modern dining experience built around the flavors of Italy with a fresh and healthy emphasis. They brought in James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Smith to create a menu that features authentic Neapolitan pizza with a modern culinary twist.

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Spin! is at 1623 West Katella in Orange. 714.633.7746.

Sababa Tastes Awesome!

08.14.13

Craving a taste of the Mediterranean that’s super healthy and innovative? You must try Sababa (meaning awesome in Hebrew) in Long Beach celebrating its third year anniversary tonight. Unless you know where it is, you’ll never find this lounge style restaurant. (It’s hidden in the Market Place center, behind Claim Jumper on the Pacific Coast Highway.)

With the benefit of consulting celebrity Chef Eric Greenspan, Sababa is a casual dining treasure where you can feast on high quality appetizers, entrees and deserts that are both affordable and delicious. Owner Sagi Rochman is passionate about the flavors, Israeli influenced dishes, and health conscious choices (gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan options) that are great for both happy hour and late night dining.

On the appetizer menu try the lighter version of nachos Mediterranean-style with pita chips, goat cheese, fresh spinach, roasted red bell peppers, kalamata olives, hummus, tahini vinaigrette; and the rich stuffed mushrooms are a must too, with zucchini, tomatoes, onions, feta cheese, garlic, olives, mozzarella cheese, red fresnos; and we recommend the seasoned calamari with harissa dip and lemon artichoke aioli dip. The main courses are familiar favorites with a Mediterrean twist such as a rib-eye, gourmet cheeseburger and grilled chicken breast.

We highly recommend the classic rib-eye with spinach, Sababa potatoes, with goat cheese; or even a cheeseburger served on Hawaiian buns with sauteed onions, olives, peppers, sababa sauce, arugula, seasoned fries, and Harrisa ketchup; or our favorite, the Moroccan salmon with Moroccan sauce and basmati rice.

Whatever you do, don’t ignore the drinks. The Moscow Mules and muddled vodka drinks with lime, fresh mint and cucumber are so refreshing, as well as their margaritas with tequila, Grand Marnier, fresh passion fruit puree, orange juice, pineapple juice and muddled limes.

Sababa offers live music, DJ’s on Thursdays, and even an aerialist every other Friday. It’s ideal for private parties, too, as you can buy out the entire restaurant or reserve the outdoor lounge area, downstairs space with the semi-circular bar, or the Mezzanine level for even more privacy.

Open 5 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday.

6527 E. Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.

562.252.3572.