Pizza Bar/Akropolis
After a fun day at the beach, everybody craves refreshing beverages and delicious finder foods. 2201 W Balboa Blvd, Newport Beach is home to a cute little Greek restaurant, Pizza Bar (previously Akropolis), which serves delicious Greek Pizza, small crunchy falafels and ice cold. My family and I stumbled upon the Akropolis last year after a day beach hopping, and went back this summer after another day at the beach.
An Extensive Menu
Starting with drinks, my parents ordered the Akropolis signature ShockTop, beer with an orange tang, which was light and refreshing, while my sister and I ordered a simple lemonade, which was perfect after being out in the sun all day. With an extensive menu, it was difficult to limit ourselves to ordering only 4 dishes. We decided on an order of Calamari, Hummus and Pita Bread, a Greek Salad, and a Gyros Plate with Beef/Lamb and Falafel.
Shock Top- Orange Beer
The Calamari cane out first and was a huge hit. Its light, spiced batter nicely coated the fresh squid; both the rings and the tentacles. It came with a delicious spicy honey mustard sauce to dip, which only made it better. On the side, it was served with a small Greek salad and thick-cut fries which were to die for. Lightly salted and fluffy in the middle, the fries were gone in a flash.
Calamari and Thick-Cut Fries
The Greek Salad was served soon after that. Filled with fresh lettuce, Lebanese cucumbers, baby tomatoes, sweet red onions and crumbly feta with Greek vinaigrette, the salad was a light and refreshing pairing for the deep-fried calamari. The sweet onions added a nice crunch to the soft crumbly feta, which was fresh and not too salty. Overall, one of the best salads I’ve ever had.
Greek Salad
The Hummus and Pita was yet another great dish. The hummus was filled with creamy chickpeas, paprika, garlic, parsley and olive oil. It left a smooth texture on your tongue and was delicious with the fluffy pita. Also served with a small side of Greek salad, the dish was devoured.
Hummus and Pita
Last but not least was the Gyros Plate. This dish was the cap to a great meal. We ordered a Gyros plate with Beef, Lamb and Falafels, but also came with thick-cut fries, tatziki, pita, and a side of Greek salad. The Beef and Lamb mixture was just a tad caramelized and which enhanced the light flavor of the Greek spiced coating. A hard, crunchy mixture of breadcrumbs, spices and herbs coated the three big falafels’ smooth, fluffy inside. Alone, the falafels were bursting with flavors of parsley and Greek spices, but dowsing it with the fresh tatziki added another layer of flavor. The tatziki, made with julienned cucumber, paprika, parsley and fresh Greek yoghurt, went really well with the falafels, the beef/lamb and the thick-cut fries.
Gyros Plate with Beef/Lamb and Falafels
Our meal at Akropolis/Pizza Bar was once again incredible. We walked out the doors satisfied and stuffed. Topped off with a gorgeous view of Balboa beach, it was a great meal. Akropolis/Pizza Bar is definitely a must-go for those spending the day at Newport or Balboa beach!
swimeatlove 