This one is for the 5th District – for those folks who live on the far Eastside of Long Beach with me. For those who do not frequent the neighborhoods in the northeast corner of Long Beach, it’s a great place to live – but good dining options are few and far between.
For that reason, take out is the only option when we don’t want to cook or we don’t have time to drive to the Shore, Downtown or the other good neighborhoods for dining.
I have two great places for take out to try. One is brand new – and the other has been around since I was a kid – which is much longer than I want to admit.
PapaCicio’s
PapaCicios is a new place located on the border of Long Beach and Los Alamitos – at Ball & Norwalk. It is right next door to Benley – the great Vietnamese place with a large following and well deserved reputation for good food. How this crazy strip mall landed two great eateries (and a wonderful veterinarian by the way) is beyond me – but it is worth finding your way here to eat.
PapaCicios has some of the best pizza I have tasted. The dough and sauce is homemade by Sal, the owner, using recipes he says his grandfather taught him. The “papa’s specialties” pies are outstanding – all white pizzas – which don’t have any red sauce. My favorite by far is the Pizza con le Salsicce. It has sausage, Romano cheese, chopped fresh tomatoes, pancetta, rosemary and olive oil on a fresh crust. It is the perfect combination of ingredients on a thin, crispy crust, authentically Italian.
Sal’s Pizza Margherita is also one of the best versions of this classic with fresh mozzarella, chopped fresh tomatoes and basil with olive oil – again on the homemade thin crust.
There are five more specialty pizzas that have garlic and olive oil and no tomato sauce which are worth a try depending on your taste, but only after you have tried the Salsicce.
PapaCiccio’s has a limited menu beyond pizza of sandwiches, pasta and appetizers including Buffalo wings. But to be honest – the pizza is so good I cannot bring myself to try anything else. Sal swears his wings are great – and I believe him – so I will try them one day. If you beat me to them, tell me what you think.
There is a small eating area in the store with 4 tables – but your best bet is to order delivery or pick up and enjoy dinner at home.
PapaCicio’s
8185 E. Wardlow, Long Beach, CA, 90808
(562) 431-7272
The Pasty Kitchen
The Pasty Kitchen is just over the Long Beach border in Los Alamitos. It has been in the same place for literally as long as I can remember. And its menu has not changed at all in the decades that it has been around.
There is only one thing on the menu, served three ways. A pasty (sounds like cat – not paste) is a traditional Welsh meat pie. The Pasty Kitchen serves three types beef, chicken and vegetable in two sizes, small or large. That’s it, except for two types of gravy, chicken and beef and canned soda.
While I cannot vouch for how authentic these pasties are, you cannot go wrong with the chicken or beef. The veggie is ok – but the other two are better. Each pasty is a basic turnover dough, stuffed with meat and potatoes and carrots and then baked.
All are cooked and ready to go right when you walk in the door. I suggest you get the gravy too – it’s an extra $.35 and well worth it.
Two other things you need to know about this place. 1) It is the cleanest kitchen I have ever seen. The place is immaculate – the staff takes the clean as you go motto to a new level. 2) This place is the best deal in town. It is the only place I can feed myself and my two teenage sons are hearty and filling lunch for under $10.
Next time you are in the mood for a warm and filling meat and potatoes meal, try this place – you will not be disappointed.
The Pasty Kitchen
3641 Katella Ave
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
(562) 431-9747
For my next column: best bets for breakfast. Have a favorite breakfast place, tell me about it! You’ll hear about mine next time.