Sabra Beirut Mix, Hermosa Beach, CA

Sabra Beirut Mix
500 N. Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
310-376-8226
http://www.beirutmix.com/
Located at the corner of PCH and 5th which has a light. There is a very small and tight parking lot. It's in the old Amigo's Tacos location next to Pinkie's BBQ.
Casual. Order and pick up at the counter.

Visited: August 2009, Dinner, Take-Out


The owner of the Amigo's Tacos chain has opened this Lebanese Eatery & Deli in one of the old Amigo's Tacos locations.

You know, we're big fans of mediterranean/middle eastern food, and had heard great reviews of Sabra, so we figured we'd better check out. Overall, the food is just fine, however we decided that we still prefer LaZeez Pita Grill over in Torrance for the overall flavor and value.

Here's what we had.

Beirut Mix Combo Plate ($16.99) comes with your choice of three skewers, and we chose lamb, beef and chicken (which is tawouk, or chicken breast). The plate also comes with a very nice basmati rice that absorbs the meat juices well, salad, hummus, and pita bread. Overall, it's a large and very nice meal, and really nothing to complain about, I was just expecting a bit more flavor in the meats. The price also seemed a little high especially when compared to other similar restaurants.

And to try the other skewers, we ordered a la carte: Chicken Kofta Kebab ($3.99) and Beef Kofta Kebab ($3.99). The two skewers came with pita bread underneath, and that was some heavenly bread! However, both koftas again left me lacking for any distinct flavor. Also, the chicken kofta had an odd fluffy texture, as if the meat had been ground in a food processor and air was allowed to blend in and then cooked. For both the combo plate and the a la cart kebabs, we felt that we needed a sauce, perhaps tahini sauce or garlic sauce on the side to add a little zip.

We also ordered the Falafel Mezza (appetizer) ($7.99) which included 6 pieces of falafel that comes with radish pickles, diced tomatoes, and pita. It was also supposed to have some tahini sauce, but the little container that we got was more like a veggie salad in Russian dressing, so I'm not sure what that was. The falafel were spicy, and I loved them. Others thought they were too spicy, but I think these were my favorite thing that we ordered all night because it actually had some flavor.

The Baba Ghannouj ($4.99) was smokey and had a nice texture. It also came with diced tomatoes and pita. A very nice baba ghannouj, I just prefer the garlicky smooth version at LaZeez a whole lot better.

The side of House Special Rice ($3.99) was a great little suprise. It was almost like a basmati fried rice with little grounds of meat in it. It had a great spice profile, too. Definitely a winner here.

So in all, it was a pleasant meal. If I lived or worked nearby, I would be content to eat at Sabra, but I don't, so I probably won't be back.

LaZeez Pita Grill, Torrance, CA

LaZeez Pita Grill
4903 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA, 90503
Between Anza and Palos Verdes Blvd
310-542-3100
http://lazeezpitagrill.com/
They have a small but ample parking lot behind the building.
Zabihah halal.
Casual. Order at the counter; food brought to your table. Dining room fills quickly at lunch.

Visited: numerous times for dine-in lunch and take-out dinner.
Most recent visit: May 2010


Not only is LaZeez so very tasty, it is also a great value. You can't beat the quality, and the great prices are a bonus.

My favorite sandwich is the Beef Shawarma ($5.75). It comes wrapped in a nice soft pita with lettuce, tomato, onions, and tahini. You can even get a combo, with fries and a drink, or you can order a side for $1.75 extra. The meat is so tasty, and for dinner take-out, we order the Beef Shawarma By the Pound ($9.99). It comes with pita and tahini on the side. Really excellent.

We've also had the Chicken Shawarma By the Pound ($9.99) that comes with pita and garlic sauce; Beef Kabab By the Pound ($12.99) with pita and cooked tomatoes; or Beef Kafta By the Pound ($10.49) with pita and cooked tomatoes. The Chicken Breast Kabab By the Pound is also very tasty. This is a real value - tasty, fresh, hot, and they're super nice, too. They have other meats that you order 'family style' or 'catering' - we just haven't tried them all yet. In all, the beef shawarma is my favorite.

They also make great Hummos (small $5.49, large $7.49) and Baba Ganoosh (small $5.49, large $7.49). Both are very tasty, but I just love their baba ganoosh. I use that instead of tahini or garlic sauce with the shawarma. YUM! Also, I always order with 'no oil' - that's the extra olive oil they drizzle on top.

Their falafel is okay, a little dry for my preference. It's available as a Falafel Sandwich ($5.25), Falafel Salad (small $7.99, large $8.99), by the piece ($0.65, 3 minimum).

They also have an assortment of sides, and we decided to try the Macaroni & Cheese ($2.75). It's pretty plain and simple. I was hoping for a Mediterranean twist perhaps, but alas, no, plain ol' mild mac n cheese.

They have been having coupons in the local coupon book that comes in the mail. Their prices are so reasonable, you really don't need the coupon, but it's a nice bonus.