Nunu's Mediterranean Cafe & Market

[keving]

As I was driving down Kilpatrick Turnpike a while back I noticed a new building that had a Starbucks and another business. All I could make out from the highway was "mediterranean cafe & market". So, I filed that away in case I was ever in that area again.

So, tonight I find myself in the area so I take my mom there. As it happens, tonight was their first night open to the public. At first, we weren't sure if they were open or not because they had no signage on the door. No posted hours, no "We take these credit cards... " signs. Nothing. So, we walked right in.

First thing I noticed was the beautiful dining room. I'm guessing marble tables with very nice chairs. Stained glass chandeliers added a nice touch but not too overwhelming. The wall opposite the kitchen area had stone (faux perhaps) arches with murals in one and a wine rack in another.

At first, I was excited when reading the menu because it said they had cuisine of Lebanan and other countries of the region. I say this because I greatly miss the Magic Lamp that was located on May near Grand.

My mom got the Fatoosh with Chicken. Fatoosh is a Lebanese salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, parsley and toasted pita chips. It is "sprinkled" with Zahtar, which is a mixture of thyme, sumac and sesame seeds. I didn't notice it until she was finished but it didn't have the cucumbers, parsley nor the pita chips. She said it was just a plain salad, nothing special.

We also ordered some cabbage rolls which were pretty good. According to their menu, they are hand-rolled with rice, beef, spices and clarified butter cooked to perfection with a hint of garlic and lime juice.

I ordered the sampler plate which "had it all". Hashwa, chicken kabob, beef kafta, cabbage roll served with tabouli, houmus and pita bread. Not too bad, although I was concerned when I saw them pulling all the food for our plates out of a warming table. Everything was already cooked and they just placed it on the plate. The food ended up being warm, not hot. The chicken and kafta were dried out a bit. The houmus was very good as was the tabouli. The hashwa was also not very hot. This is what I don't understand... if you are going to have an open kitchen then why don't you use it? Hopefully, they can figure this out.

Also, expect no special drinks. They have the regular soda drinks and coffee. Regular coffee. Not the yummy Turkish coffee I've had before or some sort of other Mediterranean specialty drinks. This was a let down... especially on the coffee part.

I look over the menu for some of my favorites...

• No chicken schwarma but they do have chicken kabobs.
• No kibbee but I did see they serve it on certain days from a seperate daily specials menu. I did see it in the market area later for 12.99 a pound! Jeesh!
• No hashwi but they have hashwa, which has almonds instead of pine nuts.

The menu has some soups, salads, specialty plates, vegetarian plates and desserts. The menu also has sandwiches of which it seems they are highlighting the "Cedar's PoBoy Sandwich". They say it's the one that made Tulsa's Cedars famous for 40 years. Has anyone heard of the place?


In the back they had the "market" part. Several shelves and cooler case sparse with food. It seems like all they had on the shelves were garbonzo beans, pistachios and rice or bulgur wheat. They did have cases full of deserts... lots of them. Some of them were even boxed and for sale in mass on the shelves.

I was going to talk to them and ask some questions but it seemed like they were busy talking to family members and/or friends who were eating at the restaurant.

One other thing about this place. According to their menu, they are open Monday thru Saturday 10:00 am - 6:30 pm. In the area that they are at, I cannot see why they close so early. There are several hotels within walking distance and it's Memorial (aka restaurant row). They had locked the doors at 6:45 pm. We were there till about 7:30 pm and at least 8 people came up to the door trying to get in.

This place has some potential but right now they have a lot of kinks to work out. I also think they need to work on their food quality (you have a grill open for everyone to see, it should be used to cook food when it is ordered) and customer service. And get some chicken schwarma. This makes me miss Magic Lamp even more.

Check them out at:

Nunu's Mediterranean Cafe & Market
3131 B West Memorial Road OKC, OK
hours: Mon-Sat 10:00 am - 6:30 pm
phone: 405.751.7000

[metro]

What is this located near? Which Starbucks? I'm just trying to get a visual picture. Is this the starbucks next to Ultimate Electronics?

[soonergolfer]

Just ate there and thought it was good. I enjoyed the falafel sandwhich and the hummus. There was a little confusion there, but since it is a first restaurant that is to be expected for a week or so. I recomend. It is on Memorial just west of May. Its the Starbucks center right next to Carrabas and Cheeseburger in Paradise.

[Bob&Frank&Ted&Bob&Alice]

I thought Steak and Ale and Bennigans was there?

[John]

Google Maps

Right there!

[FritterGirl]

It's located on the north side of Memorial, just west of the restaurant row containing Mimi's, Fox & Hound, Cheeseburger and Carraba's. They are finishing a new hotel there, just off the road a bit, in front of that big office building.

It's a one-story single building with just the Starbucks and one or two other places.

If you pass the intersection at Clear Brook Road, then you've gone too far.

My husband had heard from a Starbucks manager that it was to be a Japanese place. I'll have to check it out. We seem to have a nice smattering of Middle Eastern / Mediterranean places in the metro now.

Nunu's
CousCous
Kanan (36th and May, near the indoor karting place)
Olive Branch - just opened up downtown - quite good, I'll have to write a review
Mediterranean Deli
The Garden at 2nd & Santa Fe in Edmond.

Any others you all can think of?

[jbkrems]

Actually, there is a Japanese place opening next door to Nunu's. So, from left to right its Starbucks, Nunu's, and then the Japanese place. Then its Carrrabbas, Cheesburger in Paradise, etc.

[CCOKC]

It's located on the north side of Memorial, just west of the restaurant row containing Mimi's, Fox & Hound, Cheeseburger and Carraba's. They are finishing a new hotel there, just off the road a bit, in front of that big office building.

It's a one-story single building with just the Starbucks and one or two other places.

If you pass the intersection at Clear Brook Road, then you've gone too far.

My husband had heard from a Starbucks manager that it was to be a Japanese place. I'll have to check it out. We seem to have a nice smattering of Middle Eastern / Mediterranean places in the metro now.

Nunu's
CousCous
Kanan (36th and May, near the indoor karting place)
Olive Branch - just opened up downtown - quite good, I'll have to write a review
Mediterranean Deli
The Garden at 2nd & Santa Fe in Edmond.

Any others you all can think of?

Zorba's and Zam Zam

[Bob&Frank&Ted&Bob&Alice]

I was there yesterday and the sign on the door said they
would be open til 7.

I got some cabbage rolls and hashwa. It was very good.
Our order was to go, so I put some lebni on it when I got home.

Sometimes I like to put some dried cranberries in too.

My friend got the kefta sandwich, but wasn't crazy about it
and didn't think it was nearly as good as the Magic Lamp's was.
Mainly because it lacked some spices.

That's my report for now.

Over and Out.

[FritterGirl]

Husband and I just came back from dinner at Nunu's. I give it an "eh to okay." Nothing to write home about.

Beautiful interior. Custom stonework on the walls, a hand-painted mural, very nice furnishings, and "Tiffany"-inspired lighting fixtures. They obviously spent a great deal of time and money to make this look very classy.

You place your order at the counter, and then go pick it up when your food is ready. Not an issue in my book, except when they hand you that cc receipt with the blank "tip" line on it for you to fill in. (Subject for another thread).

The food was good, but nothing spectacular.

My husband ordered their famous "PoBoy." He said it tasted like an Italian sub, that's about it.

I ordered the falafel plate. Nicely portioned (not too much or too little). The falafel was good and spiced just right. It also came with some tabouli and hummous. Both were okay. Again, nothing special. It was also served with a few small (very small) slices of pita bread. The pita was not home made, and tasted like the store bought pita I get from the grocery store after it's been sitting in the fridge a day or so...cold, flat and tasteless.

If I had to compare NuNu's to my NFR (new favorite restaurant), the Olive Branch, I'd say that NuNu's definitely wins in the decor category, but for service and quality of food (especially hummus/hummous), Olive Branch wins hands-down.

Of course, when it comes to Mediterranean foods, I can only rely upon my own palate. I know nothing of the regional differences that may account for the differences in some of these recipes, which affects no doubt their taste and consistency.

One point to note: NuNu's closes at 7 p.m., which I find odd, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, and especially given their location right there next to Starbucks on Memorial's restaurant row.

[OKCisOK4me]

Nunu went to high school with my mom & my mom had been telling me for several weeks about the invitations that she was sending out. And, lol, she said that Nunu said...you just tell your son that he can come whenever he can come. My work schedule has kept me from going there yet, but I will go once I get a chance.

[doglover]

I ate at Nunu's Mediterranean Cafe and Market last night. I feel NW OKC needs this type of ethnic restaurant. Not only was the decor beautiful with a very fun atmosphere, the food was delicious and tasted very authentic. I grew up with many Lebanese friends and ate frequently at their house because their mom's or "sitti's were such great cooks. Well, her sampler plate had it all; cabbage rolls, beef kafta, chicken kabob, haswa, tabouli, houmos, and pita bread. Just like "sitti"(grandma) use to make. The deserts looked great, but I was too full to try one(this time). I will definitely be back. NuNu's is located about 2-3 blocks west of May on Memorial.

[specialk]

Dear Food Addicts:

I have known Nunu of Nunu's Mediterranean Cafe and Market since 1995. I mention this because I am not Lebanese but have known Nunu and her family for these many years. Here is what I can tell you about the extraordinary woman behind this new venture. It was under her leadership as COO of Bone & Joint Hospital that B&JH won the most prestigious national Baldridge Award for Quality Excellence. What this represents is a person who establishes the very highest standards for herself and the company she works for. At at "mature" age Nunu decided to do something she thought she would love to do. Of course, I was at Nunu's at close to opening day. I recall her saying just prior to opening "I hope I will have at least 30 people come through the front door." Her family prodded her to think bigger. She simply could not. Nunu probably suffers from naivete that her name, her standards and cuisine have the potential to draw hundreds of guests each and every day. She was simply not prepared for the response that the citizens of Oklahoma demand. It would be miraculous if she could produce the immediate staff you require and that her staff perform to her exacting standards. She will reach those standards, she will listen to your individual desires and she will find that "standard of excellence" she and you expect but I ask you to be a bit patient. Please realize that she had no way of knowing that Nunu's was exactly what we have all waited for so impatiently.

So those foodies out there, if you need a job, call Nunu's immediately. She needs excellent food preparers asap. Bon Appetit Oklahoma. You will find it at Nunu's.

[doglover]

Hey Specialk,
Thanks for the information regarding the owner of NuNu's Cafe & Market. I felt they had high standards in the food preparation and decor, and now I know why! I realized they had been open only a week when I dined there, and as all new restaurants, had a few kinks to work out. They are well on their way to being one of OKC's finest. My experience was great and the food was tasty and hot. Need I say more.
Hours Mon-Sat 11am-7pm
tele 751-7000
3131 W. Memorial Rd

[doglover]

Hey, I went back to Nunu's Mediterranean Cafe and Market last night. I think I am becoming addicted to the great foods on her menu.
I walked back to the "Market" area and her selves are fully stocked now. She has several differnt kinds of olives you can purchase by the pound as well as many cheeses you can buy. For those of you who get into cooking Middle Eastern foods, she has many of the ingredients you will need to prepare them.
Hope you find your way there soon.
Located west of May Ave on Memorial road.

[Cowboy16]

I agree on the Magic Lamp, it was fabulous. But . . . just as an FYI, NuNu's Mother (Abla) taught the guys at The Magic Lamp most of their recipes and how to make them. When I first went to The Magic Lamp (after the ownership changed to the guys who had it last), it was not very good. But as time went on the food got much better. Come to find out it was because Abla had been schooling them on her recipes (NuNu's mother).

So, I agree with Special K, I do not think Nunu was prepared for the amount of people coming to her door (with no advertising). I think once she gets her staff consistent it will go smoother.

I can also tell you the couple of times I have been in they have been slammed and I can't ever remember The Magic Lamp being that packed with customers. Knowing how time consuming this food is to make, I know that making it in that quantity is going to take some experimienting. I think people need to give her some time and some constructive criticism when needed. I am glad she extended her hours to 7pm- I hope she extends them out later at some point- that is a nice patio and would be great for a glass of wine and a smoke on the argeela/arghileh/hookah with a variety of fruit tabacco. I went to one in Houston like that- it was great . . be cool to have one in OKC.

Side note on the Poorboy- I have been to Cedar's in Tulsa and it is the Tomato Relish (Chow Chow) that makes that sandwich- ask for more on the side- they never put enough on at either place.

Any way, Nunu's gets an A+ from me!

[bravofriendly]

I'm a big fan of Nunu's - my favorites are the cabbage rolls, hashwa, and the Tuesday special: meat pies and cheese pies. Just thinking about those pies makes my stomach growl with happiness. Yum!