Business & Tech

Opa Cafe Offers Taste of the Mediterranean

The restaurant features dishes from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Israel.

Do you have a craving for some fried kibbeh? Or perhaps you've been yearning for some homemade namoura.

You can find these Mediterranean dishes and more at Opa Cafe in Valrico.

FishHawk Ranch residents Mike and Naella Ayyoub are offering area residents a taste of their homeland at the new restaurant at 4377 Lynx Paw Trail, off Lithia-Pinecrest Road, specializing in dishes from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Israel.

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Born in Jordan, the couple spent more than 35 years in Long Island, N.Y., where they owned family-operated restaurants and delis specializing in their native fare.

Then, 15 years ago, Mike Ayyoub's work as an international business consultant took the couple back to Jordan.

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While in Jordan, their daughter, Rene, and her two children, Branden and Rachel, who live in FishHawk Ranch, paid them a visit.

"While they were visiting, Branden became seriously ill," said Naella Ayyoub. After a year and a half of tests, the youngster subsequently was diagnosed with Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome, a condition that causes recurrent seizures. 

Worried for their grandson and wanting to support their daughter, whose husband is being deployed to the Sudan, the Ayyoubs moved to FishHawk Ranch in October 2011.

"We knew we were going to be here for awhile so we decided to open a restaurant here and introduce the area to the food of the Mediterranean," said Naella Ayyoub. "We began looking around and found this space."

Naming their restaurant "Opa," which means "joy to all," the Ayyoubs opened for business three months ago. And although they've only been open a short time, they've already developed a faithful clientele including former and current military personnel who fell in love with Mediterranean food while stationed overseas.

The Ayyoubs say their restaurant offers a variety of dishes diners can't find anywhere else in Tampa Bay.

"Everything is homemade, made fresh every day," said Naella Ayyoub. "And they are all authentic dishes made with spices we have shipped from Jordan. We use our own exotic spice mixtures you can't find anywhere else."

The couple cut their own lamb, beef and chicken in the restaurant for kabobs, shawarma (the Jordanian equivalent of a gyro) and meat pies.

"This is 100 percent authentic Mediterranean cooking. All of the recipes I use are my favorites," said Naella Ayyoub. "Cooking is my hobby and I love to see people enjoying my food."

The Ayyoubs also make their own stuffed grape leaves, rice dishes, tabbouli and humus, which Mike Ayyoub is quick to tell customers is the best hummus in town.

To accompany the authentic fare, the Ayyoubs serve imported wines and Lebanese beer.

For dessert, Naella Ayyoub offers a choice of her homemade warbat, namoura and baklava.

Other offerings include homemade soups, baba ghanouj, Zaatar pie (meat and spinach), fried purple potatoes, Jordanian-style baked whiting, flaming feta and falafel.

For diners with less intrepid tastes, Opa Cafe also features a variety of burgers, Greek and Caesar salads, chicken salad, rib-eye steak, filet mignon, the Opa cheese steak sandwich and the River Hills clubs.

The couple also offer daily specials such as yellow squash stuffed with lamb and rice.

"Our main concept is providing fresh, natural, healthy ingredients in a family atmosphere," said Naella Ayyoub. "We get to know our customers and give lots of samples away so they can taste the different foods. Everything I make is filled with love."

Although their biggest sellers are the lamb shish kabob and lamb shawarma, Ayyoub said the falafel and fried kibbeh (a cracked wheat dough filled with meat, ground onion and spices) are also popular.

The Ayyoubs also provide catering and will make special dishes upon request such as mansef, the Jordanian national dish featuring chunks of lamb and rice with a special yogurt sauce over flatbread.

Opa Cafe is open for lunch and dinner, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Visit the restaurant's Facebook page or call 813-662-7827.


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