Housed in a former Boy Blue Custard stand at 4125 S. Howell Ave. on Milwaukee's near South Side, Sahara Café once again is serving up Mediterranean food on-site, or for take-out or delivery.
I say they are serving again, because the café was open for a few months in fall and turned out some great hummus, falafel, and tahini to rave reviews before suddenly shutting its doors before the winter. Upon re-opening, the owners added white booths within a permanent outdoor shelter, and the patio is ready and raring to go for the upcoming warmer season.
Sahara Café provides simple, good, and consistent Mediterranean food with a dash of American items for those who are still looking for Boy Blue-type of fare. Hotdogs, hamburgers and a Philly cheese steak sandwich make an appearance alongside shawarma (marinated beef), kabobs and tabouli. But, Sahara Café is by no means your typical takeout joint -- the prices here are extremely reasonable, and the food rivals the best competitors from local sit-down eateries.
Appetizers include an unbelievable hummus ($3.99), decked out with tahini, paprika and fresh lemon juice. The creamy and garlicky concoction is served alongside warm pita bread. Falafel ($1.99) and dolmeh (vegetarian stuffed grape leaves, $4.99) both were excellent. We were pleased to find that the dolmeh traveled well in its styrofoam container, remaining warm and flavorful for 20 minutes. Another highlight was the tabouli (small $2.99, large $5.99) that carried the zesty flavors of mint and lemon juice offset by the ever so gentle crunch of cracked wheat.
Entrées at the Café come served in a standard three compartment takeout container populated with their signature Mediterranean rice under the entrée, and teasers of their hummus and Arabian salad. Warm toasted pita breads are served separately in foil.
Chicken ($8.99) and lamb ($9.99) shish kabobs are both good, with the meats well seasoned and flavorful, but just ever so slightly dry. Pair these meats with the rice, however, and all is forgiven. A medley of thin bits of noodles and saffron rice, this side makes all of the entrees at the Café worth ordering. And, if you venture into the Kafta kabob ($8.99) or the gourmet shawarma ($8.99), you'll be even more pleased.
The Kafta kabob features savory sausages of ground beef with onion and parsley and the shawarma is tiny shredded pieces of marinated beef that are equally delicious mixed into the rice, or gently tucked into a pita point. I think the nature of the Café's location and seating limitations have forced them to perfect the art of takeout, because both dishes were phenomenal, and again, so well-packed, that they more than survived the trip home.
Sahara Café also offers smoothies, shakes, and on-site hookahs. Hookahs come in regular flavor ($7.99), sahara king flavor ($9.99) and emperor hookah ($14.99), and can be used on site, on the patio.
The next time you're looking for something different for takeout or delivery, venture down to Howell Avenue, and you may just find yourself kicked back with a mango smoothie, a plate of great Mediterranean food, and a hookah, all while sitting on the patio at Sahara Café. Who would've thought a Boy Blue could turn so creative?
Amy L. Schubert is a 15-year veteran of the hospitality industry and has worked in every aspect of bar and restaurant operations. A graduate of Marquette University (B.A.-Writing Intensive English, 1997) and UW-Milwaukee (M.A.-Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Writing, 2001), Amy still occasionally moonlights as a guest bartender and she mixes a mean martini.
The restaurant business seems to be in Amy’s blood, and she prides herself in researching and experimenting with culinary combinations and cooking techniques in her own kitchen as well as in friends’ restaurants. Both she and her husband, Scott, are avid cooks and “wine heads,” and love to entertain friends, family and neighbors as frequently as possible.
Amy and Scott live with their boys, Alex and Nick, in Bay View, where they are all very active in the community. Amy finds great pleasure in sharing her knowledge and passions for food and writing in her contributions to OnMilwaukee.com.
