{"id":249878,"date":"2016-02-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-26T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/mediterranean-street-food-on-fifth-avenue\/"},"modified":"2016-02-26T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-02-26T08:00:00","slug":"mediterranean-street-food-on-fifth-avenue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/mediterranean-street-food-on-fifth-avenue\/","title":{"rendered":"Mediterranean street food on Fifth Avenue"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Por Frank Sabatini Jr.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Gone are the burgers, chicken wings and rambunctious canine gatherings that defined Doghouse Bar &amp; Grill. In its place is a newcomer from Los Angeles known for amping up the flavors of street foods common throughout Europe and the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24491\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24491\" style=\"width: 605px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Exteriorwebtop.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-24491\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24491 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Exteriorwebtop.jpg\" alt=\"Spitz branches into San Diego from Los Angeles (Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)\" width=\"605\" height=\"350\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 605px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 605\/350;\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24491\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Spitz branches into San Diego from Los Angeles (Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eatatspitz.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spitz<\/a> takes doner wraps, sandwiches and french fries to a twisted, lip-smacking level, which can become redundant at times depending on how you order.<\/p>\n<p>Named after the rotating \u201cspits\u201d on which stacked meat is cooked, most items on the menu capture the combined tang of pepperoncinis, copious red onions, creamy feta cheese and garlicky tzatziki.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24558\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24558\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Doquitos.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-24558\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-24558 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Doquitos-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Doquitos\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24558\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Doquitos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We started with the Berliner fries, which brought forth the additional inclusions of shredded cabbage, carrot slaw, cucumbers, olives and house-made red sauce spiked with Fresno chilies.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike carne asada fries or poutine, these are too exquisite to be labeled \u201cdrunk food.\u201d The toppings were salad-fresh and the thin-cut spuds buried underneath were intriguingly crispy. Yet if sold from a late-night cart parked outside any Uptown watering hole, they\u2019d sell well and effectively remove the sway from your stagger. Not even in Berlin\u2019s top nightlife neighborhoods are trendy fries served with this much pizzazz.<\/p>\n<p>The company\u2019s founders, Bryce Rademan and Robert Wicklund, are former college buddies. They launched their first location near Occidental College several years ago after Rademan spent a semester in Europe and fell in love with doner kebabs. They\u2019ve since opened three other outlets in L.A. and two in Salt Lake City, Utah.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24559\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24559\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Chicken-sandwich.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-24559\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-24559 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Chicken-sandwich-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Chicken sandwich\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24559\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Zesty feta doner sandwich with chicken<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Spitz\u2019s San Diego outpost is co-franchised by Jordan Bernhardt, who managed locations in Los Angeles before deciding to abandon his plan of attending law school to invest in the eatery\u2019s steady success.<\/p>\n<p>Here, the brightened space features a large cocktail bar stocked with vats of house-made sangria and craft beers, plus sturdy wood high tops, chandeliers crafted from aluminum work lights, and walls painted with abstract imagery by L.A. artist Devon Paulson.<\/p>\n<p>The back patio, formerly a free zone for dogs under the previous tenant, now embodies freshly stained picnic tables and an AstroTurf area for playing cornhole. Table games such as Jenga and Connect Four are scattered throughout the eatery as additional welcome mats to competitive-minded hipsters.<\/p>\n<p>We proceeded to chicken \u201cdoquitos,\u201d a Mediterranean spin on taquitos encased in delicate tubes of deep-fried lavash bread. Filling options also include cheese or gyros-style beef-lamb strips shaved from the spit.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24560\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24560\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Meat-wrap.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-24560\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-24560 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Meat-wrap-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Meat wrap\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24560\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The \u2018street cart\u2019 doner wrap with beef and lamb<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Draped in a riot of ingredients, the pepperoncinis, onions, zesty feta and garlic aioli in particular left little chance for the spiced chicken inside to sing. Yet despite the similar concert of flavors we encountered on our Berliner fries, we agreed the dish was novel and dynamic, unlike anything you\u2019ll find in traditional kebab shops.<\/p>\n<p>A side order of cinnamon-kissed falafel set atop a scoop of smooth hummus served as a viable palate refresher before clutching our hands around a wrap and sandwich.<\/p>\n<p>I chose the \u201czesty feta donner\u201d with chicken nestled between two puffy slices of grilled focaccia bread. This time, green bell peppers and cool tzatziki emerged from the recurring base of tangy ingredients. I could also taste hints of seasoning infusing the poultry and the juice of ripe tomatoes oozing out the sides. Augmented crisp romaine lettuce layered somewhere within, it rivaled some of the wondrous creations I\u2019ve encountered at Ike\u2019s Place in the HUB Hillcrest Market.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24561\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24561\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Sangria.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-24561\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-24561 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Sangria-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sangria\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 225px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 225\/300;\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24561\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">House-made sangria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The sandwich was as equally gigantic as the \u201cstreet cart doner\u201d wrap boasting compact swirls of beef-lamb shavings contained in fresh lavash bread sourced from a Middle Eastern baker in L.A.<\/p>\n<p>There were no pepperoncinis in this item, which we didn\u2019t mind. The meat was abundant and flavorful. And the veggies maintained their character, despite the presence of garlic aioli and tzatziki.<\/p>\n<p>Other menu choices include doners with fries tucked inside; another capturing hummus, kalamata olives and feta; and a \u201cdoner basket\u201d that features pretty much the entire menu in one huge piling \u2013 fries, salad, falafel, crispy garbanzos, olives, fried bread, a choice of meat and more.<\/p>\n<p>The food at Spitz is bold and stimulating, although we learned that requesting light onions or pepperoncinis \u2013 or none at all in certain cases \u2013 might be the way to go when ordering multiple dishes. Such customizations will bring you closer to the well-prepared proteins and sauces that are at the heart of these zingy constructs.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Screen-Shot-2016-02-26-at-9.04.09-AM.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-24563\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-24563 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Screen-Shot-2016-02-26-at-9.04.09-AM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-02-26 at 9.04.09 AM\" width=\"550\" height=\"67\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 550px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 550\/67;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>\u2014Frank Sabatini Jr.<\/em><em> es el autor de \u201cSecret San Diego\u201d (ECW Press), y comenz\u00f3 su carrera como escritor local hace m\u00e1s de dos d\u00e9cadas como miembro del personal del antiguo San Diego Tribune. Puedes localizarlo en <a href=\"mailto:fsabatini@san.rr.com\">fsabatini@san.rr.com<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Por Frank Sabatini Jr.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":816,"featured_media":232779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11555","_seopress_titles_title":"Mediterranean street food on Fifth Avenue","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11551,11550,11555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-249878","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-top-stories","category-uptown-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/249878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/816"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=249878"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/249878\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/232779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=249878"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=249878"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=249878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}