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Posts tagged ‘Mediterranean food in Oklahoma City’

Food Friday: Nunu’s Mediterranean Cafe

I have been wanting to visit Nunu’s Mediterranean Cafe for quite a while, I love Mediterranean food and get excited about trying restaurants offering it in the metro. Now Nunu’s has been around for a while but is still a great family-owned place to visit.

We went early on a Saturday afternoon, happy we did get there before noon because the place did get busy real quick. I ordered the beef kafta over hashwa and Big K got the sampler plate. You order once you get inside the door, then you take a seat. The guy taking the order was really nice and knew everything on the menu well. It didn’t take long for the food to come out. My meal came with beef kafta, hashwa, tabouli, pita and hummus. So now I will break that all down for those who aren’t familiar. Beef kafta is Lebanese ground beef with different spices added, usually parsley and onion. It is cooked over a fire and served in different forms like a meatball or on a kebab. Hashwa (hashwah) is Lebanese as well. In Arabic it means “stuffing”, basically it’s rice with ground beef, pine nuts, and possibly some veggies (depends on the cook). Tabouli (tabbouleh) is Mediterranean, basically how it’s prepared depends on which version the cook wants to make. There is no one recipe for tabouli, you can get a different version at different restaurants but it can have parsley, tomato, onion, bulgur wheat, mint, with olive oil and lemon juice. Hummus is also Mediterranean and basically consists of a few ingredients, mashed chickpeas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice. It’s usually served with pita. The tabouli was outstanding, lots of flavor. The hummus was so smooth, seriously some of the best hummus I’ve ever had. It worked well with their pita, which was made in-house. The beef kafta was juicy with lots of flavor. I was also blown away by the hashwa, first time I had tried it and I was in love immediately. The flavors just came together perfectly. Big K’s sampler platter came with beef kafta, chicken kebob, cabbage roll, hashwa, tabouli, hummus and pita. He loved everything. He agreed that was some of the best hummus he has ever eaten. He liked the beef kafta and hashwa as well, thought the chicken kebob was tender and flavorful. He was totally in love with the cabbage roll, said it was one of the best he ever eaten.

We also took home a sampler of Mediterranean desserts complete with baklava made with both walnut and pistachio, and pistachio cookies. This sampler was great as well, loved every bite. The best part of Nunu’s is that they do have a market attached, so you can take home some of that good hummus and pita. The service was outstanding and the staff was incredibly friendly. They are passionate about their food. I give them 5 strips of bacon and ready for another visit.

Address: 3131 W. Memorial Rd., Oklahoma City.

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Food Friday: Haydeh’s Bistro

I am a big fan of Greek and Mediterranean food, so I was interested when I saw a new place pop up on Hefner Road just west of Rockwell. After a couple of visits, it’s now one of my favorite places for a gyro in the OKC metro.

This is a small family run restaurant that opened just a few months ago, its location is hard to overlook. In a small strip mall near a gymnastics training center, the parking lot looks busy because of the parents at the gym. They have a basic Mediterranean menu, with salads, gyros, falafels, and kebobs. I have gotten the gyro meal every time, so far. The pita is filled with gyro meat, onions, tomatoes, black olives, and feta cheese. It’s just the right size to pick up and eat, not too big. The meal comes with a side of either tater tots or fries, I have tried both and they were good. I finish off the meal with dark chocolate baklava. I love regular baklava, so putting a topping of dark chocolate on it is an extra special treat.

Overall I feel that this is a hidden gem in Oklahoma City, I know more will discover it. The service is great and the restaurant always clean. I will give them 5 strips of bacon with that dark chocolate baklava.

Address: 7202 W Hefner Rd., Oklahoma City.

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Food Friday: Baba G’s

baba g's

It’s not often that I get my ideas for dinner from a movie but that is just how I discovered shawarma.  So if you’ve seen the first Avengers movie you know there is a scene near the end when Tony Stark wakes up from being beaten up by the Chitauri, he suggests to his fellow Avengers that he wants shawarma for dinner.  Then the post credit scene has the Avengers sitting at a table eating shawarma.  This scene is totally hilarious and got me to wondering, what in the hell is shawarma?  After some research, I decided I wouldn’t mind trying it and found a place on Memorial Road that serves it up.

On the Northeast corner of Memorial and Meridian (across the turnpike, north of the Mercy Hilton, I mean Mercy Hospital) is a rather large strip mall with all types of businesses.  Baba G. Mediterranean Grill is on the very end of the mall, closest to Memorial Road.  They have a good selection of other food such as gyros and salads but I was there for shawarma.  You can get it in a pita, plate or bowl.  I always get mine in a fresh-baked pita which they fill with your selection of steak or chicken.  Then you get to put in some veggies, I highly recommend the Arabic pickles.  I’m a pickle lover and these are so different, not sweet or kosher, almost a dill taste but not quite.  Then add some tzatziki sauce and it’s ready to eat.  I always get a combo that you can get with seasoned fries or you can go for their homemade hummus.  Now if you’re like me, I was skeptical of hummus.  Tried some at a work party many years ago and hated it, swore I would never put it in my mouth again.  My husband changed my mind on a visit, he got the hummus and it was great.  Had a fresh taste that I just can’t find with the store-bought stuff.

The staff is always great and the place is clean.  They have opened a location in Edmond recently, I haven’t tried it yet.  So if you want to pretend you’re an avenger, stop by and get some shawarma.  I give it 5 strips of bacon.

Address: 4401 W. Memorial Road, Oklahoma City; 1165 E. 2nd St. Edmond.

 

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Food, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma food

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