At Ammatolí in Long Beach, Mediterranean fare includes (clockwise from left) ouzi lamb chops, roasted beet hummus, Palestinian msakhan, and muhammara, a red pepper and walnut dip.
July 15, 2024
Raised in Jordan by a Palestinian father and a Syrian mother, chef Dima Habibeh draws on a diasporic array of Middle Eastern influences to create the menu at Ammatolí.
Since opening in 2018, Ammatolí has become so popular that it has already expanded. It’s easy to see why: The airy spot works as well for boisterous group meals as it does for intimate date nights.
Ammatolí’s bright, airy interior.
The pipeline from the Levant to Long Beach begins with meze. The 21 appetizer options require making some difficult choices, although they can be mixed and matched in three- or six-item platters. Top picks include slightly sweet roasted beet hummus and fried kibbeh (balls of bulgur wheat filled with beef or spinach and sour barberries).
At many restaurants, pita is merely a carrier for the toppings. Here, emerging fluffy and warm from the oven, the pita is a star on its own.
Follow the meze with an order of lamb chops or mashawi—skewers of chicken, kofta (ground beef), rib eye, lamb, or shrimp (again, you can mix and match). All the meats are tender and perfectly grilled.
If you can commit to only one main dish, make it the Palestinian msakhan—half of an herby, juicy roast chicken resting on flatbread smeared with a purple paste of caramelized onions and sumac. Rip off pieces of the bread and dip it in a cucumber and yogurt dressing for a DIY wrap, or cut into it with a knife and fork.
Osmalieh is a pastry bowl filled with ice cream and dates covered in cotton candy and crushed pistachios.
For dessert, you might try the knafeh, a pastry of shredded filo dough, mild cheese, and sweet orange blossom syrup that’s served warm.
Roasted beet hummus, kibbeh, Palestinian msakhan, ouzi lamb chops, osmalieh
Starters, $6–$64; entrées, $23–$124; desserts, $4–$18
285 E. Third Street, Long Beach
