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FIne Mediterranean Cuisine from The Levant Region

02.24.20

During Dine Out Long Beach, one of the area’s finest Mediterranean restaurants, Ammatoli Mediterranean Bites is offering a three-course dinner for just $35 per person. It’s quite a deal and if you haven’t yet experienced Ammatoli you will be blown away by the cuisine and stylish and warm ambiance thanks to its owners' husband and wife team Sam and chef Dima Habibeh.

Ammatoli shines a spotlight on Levantine cuisine from the Middle East's Levant regions: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. Chef Dima sources the highest quality ingredients available and the results are extraordinary flavors. Their fresh and creative menu of mezzas, kebabs, entrees, soups, salads, wraps, flatbreads, sides and desserts are made from scratch and health-oriented.

Favorites from the menu include Falafel Mezza's served with turnips, tomatoes and tahini sauce; and the perfectly fried Kibbeh with bulgur, wheat balls stuffed with ground beef and walnuts. The Fattoush salad was easily the best one I’ve ever ordered. It tasted like all of the ingredients were just picked that day: romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, parsley and radish, tossed with house dressing, sumac and toasted pita. You cannot go wrong by sharing a Mezza combo, that way you can try six of the hits from the Mezza selection. You can choose six! From the kebab and entrée menu, the grilled kebab special is exceptional, it comes with pita, sauce, rice and two sides such as tabbouleh, babaghannouj, French Fries, and Labne.

The Knafeh dessert is an incredible combination of shredded phyllo dough filled with white cheese blend, topped with orange blossom syrup and pistachios.

Dine Out Long Beach February 23 - 29, 2020
3 – Course Dinner. $35 per person, tax, and gratuity not included
+$8 Paired Glass of Wine or $6 Lebanese or Draft Beer

Mezzas -- Choice of one:

Grape Leaves with Beets Labne Puree -- rice, tomato, parsley, onion, and fresh mint rolled in grape leaves with roasted beets labne puree.
Spinach Kibbeh -- fried bulgur wheat balls stuffed with seasoned spinach and onions.
Soup -- red lentil or green lentil soup

Wine pairing: Savino, Pinot Grigio or Château Kefraya, Blanc de Blancs

Main Course -- Choice of One

Grilled Kebab -- grilled chicken or katfa kebab skewer served on a bed of turmeric rice with your choice of salad (greek, fattoush or tabbouleh)
Chicken Shawarma -- chicken shawarma served on a bed of turmeric rice with your choice of salad (greek, fattoush or tabbouleh)
Beef Shawarma - beef shawarma served on a bed of turmeric rice with your choice of salad (Greek, fattoush or tabbouleh)
Ammatoli’s Signature Vegetarian Special -- Hummus, tabbouleh, two falafels and two grape leaves

Wine pairing: Marco Bonfante, Stella Rosa or Château Kefraya Les Bretèches, Blend

Dessert -- Choice of one:

Ammatoli’s Homemade Baklava -- baked layers of phyllo dough pastry, crushed walnuts and pistachio, topped with our homemade orange blossom syrup and pistachios!
Basbousa Semolina Coconut Cake -- basbousa semolina coconut cake drenched with orange blossom syrup and garnished with almonds and rose petals. a traditional Egyptian dessert made throughout the Levant, especially during wintertime.

Wine pairing: Moncigale 'Roquatelle', Cotes De Province, Fruité Rosé or Paul Jaboulet “Parallèle 45” Blanc

Menu available from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

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

Ammatoli Mediterranean Bites is at 385 E. 3rd St. in Long Beach. 562.435.0808.

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Be Relentless: UCI Film Screening Event to Inspire with Story & Scientists

02.24.20

As the locally-produced documentary “Relentless” reaps acclaim, the public is invited to draw inspiration by seeing the film, meeting those involved and learning the science behind the story at a free screening and conversation.

Monday, March 2, 2020
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Pacific Ballroom, UCI Student Center

This FREE screening is the first since audiences saw the documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival last month. “Relentless” profiles local action sports athlete Marty O’Connor, whose unceasing work ethic and relentless pursuit of his goals enabled him to forge a new sense of self after becoming a quadriplegic through a freak accident.

Through his relentless pursuit of self-improvement, Marty O’Connor learns to embrace his challenges and forge a new sense of self. The documentary was made as a first-time film project by Orange County native Shelby Thompson at the age of 22. Ms. Thompson explained that this is a comeback story of a young action sports athlete who seemingly lost everything. “It’s about the relentless pursuit of self-improvement, embracement of challenges, and the journey of love, growth, and acceptance,” she said.

The event will begin with the showing of the 25-minute documentary. Then UCI School of Biological Sciences’ Dean, Frank M. LaFerla, will emcee and lead the conversation alongside Marty, who will share his unique perspective with the audience, then take questions. Also, Drs. Oswald Steward, Aileen Anderson and Brian Cummings will talk about research at Reeve-Irvine Research Center and UCI Stem Cell Research Center focused on the study of repair, regeneration and recovery of function after spinal cord injury.

“If you are looking to be inspired, we encourage you to attend this dynamic event,” Dean LaFerla said. “Marty O’Connor’s personal journey and the visionary work by our innovators seeking to transform spinal injury outcomes will provide you inspiration and much to think about.”

While the event is free, pre-registration is strongly recommended.

To register and receive parking information, visit bio.uci.edu/event/relentless/.

University of California, Irvine Student Center, 311 W. Peltason Dr., A., Irvine.

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