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Oxford’s newest restaurant offers Lebanese fare

Vegetable kabobs are one of the many dishes available at Arabian Nights located at 36 West High St. in Oxford Tuesday afternoon, January 25, 2011. The fare includes Middle Eastern dishes such as hummus and falafel.

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By Teri Horsley, Contributing Writer 4:55 PM Thursday, January 27, 2011

OXFORD — Last week’s opening of Arabian Nights in Oxford completed a two-year journey that began at the city’s Uptown Market.

In the summer of 2009, Farrah Akkoub started selling homemade hummus, baba ghanouj and baklava to market visitors. Her food was so popular that her customers started pushing her to open a restaurant. Now, after just one week in business, several days have ended with her selling completely out of food.

“Our food is authentic Lebanese, and the reason there are not a lot of Lebanese restaurants in this area is because of the cooking. I don’t have sauces that will go on many different dishes; I have to make different sauces for each of my unique foods,” Akkoub said.

With its foundation being in fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and strong spices, Lebanese cuisine is not only popular, but healthy. Akkoub said it’s the epitome of what the heart-friendly, Mediterranean diet is all about.

“We use only extra virgin olive oil, and I have many vegetarian dishes. We also use lots of chicken and lamb and very little beef,” she said.

The lamb alone makes a trip to Arabian Nights worthwhile. I sampled medium rare chunks of meat used in the restaurant’s kabobs and it was tender with just the right amount of seasoning.

Another customer favorite that can be made with lamb, chicken or beef is the shawarma, and mine was made with tender cuts of New York strip spiced with tahini (sesame seed sauce), tomato and parsley. While I personally love spicy foods, the heat from the shawarma built quickly on my tongue in a manner that may be too much for those who don’t like it hot.

The restaurant’s falafel is offered on the vegetarian menu and the chickpeas, fava beans, parsley and garlic are rolled and deep fried, and are referred to as the french fries of the Middle East. While the falafel is very tasty, diners should not expect it to even remotely resemble American fries.

Akkoub’s hummus and baba ghanouj are made fresh daily, and although her husband says the hummus is the best in the area, I found it comparable to what is served at other Middle Eastern restaurants.

I actually preferred the baba ghanouj, which had a strong, smoky taste that nicely complemented the pita it was served with. It should also be noted that all meats served at Arabian Nights are Halal (slaughtered humanely), as is necessary for diners of the Muslim faith.

A kid’s menu for those younger than 10 features a variety of Lebanese dishes, and homemade desserts are available every day.

Alcohol is not served at Arabian Nights, and diners should expect a casual atmosphere that somewhat resembles a diner. The restaurant seats 30 and reservations are not accepted.

Because the food is made fresh, expect up to a 25 minute wait on weekend nights for dishes like the rack of lamb. Customers have been known to line up for 45 minutes to be seated, and they’re encouraged to call ahead to see if there’s a wait, or if the restaurant has run out of certain foods.

Carry out is available, and Akkoub will call you to let you know when your order is ready.

Contact this writer at tlhrsly@cinci.rr.com.

How to go

What: Arabian Nights

Where: 36 W. High St., Oxford

When: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Mondays. Lunch is served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, and dinner is served 4 p.m. until closing. The restaurant has limited food between 2 and 4 p.m.

Cost: Hummus and baba ghanouj is $3.49, lamb kabobs, $10.99. Leg of lamb is $12.99, falafel is $8.49. Desserts average $1, and kids menu items are $4.99.

More info: (513) 280-6312

Critics choice: Lamb, beef shawarma and baba ghanouj

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