A Review of N&J's Bakery & Cafe - Delicious Mediterranean Food in Wichita, Kansas

N&J's Bakery and Café is one of my favorite places to eat in Wichita Kansas. Though one of several Mediterranean eateries in town, N&J's is known for their fabulous fresh-baked goods--including fantastic pita bread and baklava.

The food:

Here are foods you may or may not recognize among the many menu offerings:

Tabouleh (which I don't care for but many people enjoy. It is a cold dish made with bulgur, parsley, mint and a bunch of other seasonings)

Hummus (Also spelled "Hommus" this is pureed chickpeas and tahini with lemon juice and garlic. It is eaten with Pita or flat bread). N&J's is locally famous for their delicious freshly prepared hummus.

Stuffed grape leaves. No good Mediterranean restaurant should be without stuffed grape leaves.

Baba Ganoush ( made from eggplant and served with Pita or flat bread). This is also freshly prepared and quite good.

Baklava. N&J's baklava is to die for. For those who have never had the pleasure of tasting baklava, it is a rich pastry made with very thin layers of phyllo dough filled with finely chopped nuts and covered with a honey or sugar glaze. It is flaky, melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness.

Falafel. Falafel is my favorite--and they do such a wonderful job of preparing it-- is the simple yet divine falafel sandwich. Falafel is chickpeas and spices grilled together in patties or clumps. It is served a variety of ways but often in flatbread with a light sauce.

They are also known for their spinach pies--small pastries filled with spinach and spices-- and their meat pies. I have never tried their meat pies but I imagine they are as tasty as the spinach pies. If you don't have time to sit down to eat you can always order several meat or spinach pies to go, along with hummus, baba ganoush, pita bread and other delicious freshly made foods. A few spinach pies, some hummus, and a glass of wine would make a fine healthy dinner at home. They also have a variety of other foods as well as meat dishes.

The décor:

The décor is casual, comfortable, and clean. It is light and fresh-feeling. Music often plays in the background--sometimes a bit too loudly at lunch.

The service:

Service is okay but not the best. On a scale of one to five, with five being excellent, I would give their service a two and a half. The food doesn't take very long to arrive but the service itself is just average. Prices are very reasonable and this makes up for what the service lacks.

For restaurants and cafes of their size and kind, I give N&J's café a four out of five with five being excellent. One could possibly do a bit better but one could certainly also do a whole lot worse. I highly recommend this café to anyone in the Wichita area who craves authentic Mediterranean food.