{"id":71203,"date":"2025-10-10T00:01:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T06:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=71203"},"modified":"2026-04-03T12:51:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T18:51:07","slug":"noras-cafe-albuquerque-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=71203","title":{"rendered":"Nora’s Cafe – Albuquerque, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Nora’s Cafe on Menaul Between Eubank and Juan Tabo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a precocious sprout growing up in an agrarian hamlet in Northern New Mexico, I dreamt of travel and adventure.\u00a0 My voracious reading habits included hours immersed in world book encyclopedias, world atlases and National Geographic magazines.\u00a0 \u00a0By my eighth birthday, I was creating maps of the world free-hand and knew more about history and our planet than most of my teachers.\u00a0 I longed to visit and plunge myself in wonders and cultures that existed for me only in books.\u00a0 My longing to experience the world outside of Pe\u00f1asco was, in fact, the primary reason I joined the Air Force days out of high school.\u00a0 While my service career did broaden my experiences, my desire to see and do even more has never waned.\u00a0 \u00a0Alas, now that my Kim and I have the financial means to travel virtually anywhere, health issues have left us more homebound than we would like.<\/p>\n

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Dining Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thankfully, I can still travel vicariously through my brothers and sisters, all of whom have traveled the globe.\u00a0 In 2024, my brother Mario and his better half Diana visited Petra in Jordan, one of the sites I first read about in preadolescence.\u00a0 I don’t have a jealous bone in my body and don’t begrudge my siblings being able to travel to faraway lands.\u00a0 It does, however, bother me somewhat that they don’t always sample or enjoy the broad expanse of culinary opportunity offered to them.\u00a0 \u00a0Neither Mario or Diana was particularly impressed by Jordan’s Middle Eastern cuisine.\u00a0 \u00a0Aargh!\u00a0 I sometimes wonder if I’m related to my five siblings, only one of whom has an adventurous palate.\u00a0 \u00a0Sure, they’re jetsetting far and wide, but so much of the experience should center around every country’s culinary culture–especially the unfamiliar.<\/p>\n

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The Halal Market and Deli<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As for Petra, I can only dream of the civilization that more than 2,000 years ago, built a spectacular ancient city and archaeological site in Jordan.\u00a0 Carved into beautiful rose red-colored rock with exquisite artistic details and surrounded by large, vibrant mountains and canyons, Petra is considered one of the seven wonders of the world.\u00a0 Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for breathtaking structures carved directly into pink sandstone cliffs.\u00a0 In its halcyon days, Petra was a thriving center of commerce until trade routes changed and the city was abandoned in the 6th Century.<\/p>\n

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Sufyan Proudly Shows Off the Knafeh He Just Baked<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not surprisingly, Petra is referenced in the Old Testament, albeit by its Hebrew name, \u201cSela,\u201d which means rock. Specifically, Isaiah 16:1, enjoins: \u201cSend lambs as tribute to the ruler of the land, from Sela, across the desert, to the mount of the Daughter of Zion<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Some biblical scholars believe Petra is a potential place of refuge for the Jewish people during the end-times period of the tribulation.\u00a0 This belief stems from interpretations of passages in Zechariah, Daniel and Revelation that seem to suggest that God will protect a remnant of Israel in a hidden location within the region of ancient Edom (modern-day Jordan), where Petra is located.<\/p>\n

While my Kim and I might never make it to Petra ourselves, we would surely have gained a few pounds feasting on the wondrous Middle Eastern cuisine for which Jordan is renowned.\u00a0 Nora’s Cafe, a 2025 addition to the Duke City’s burgeoning culinary scene, is the next best thing to dining in Jordan.\u00a0 Not since the San Pedro Middle East Restaurant (now known as Al-Qud\u2019s Mediterranean Grill & Grocery<\/strong><\/a>) launched in 2010 have we been so excited about a Middle Eastern restaurant as we are about Nora’s.\u00a0 That means Nora’s is in rather rarefied air as one of the best Middle Eastern eateries in Albuquerque.<\/p>\n

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Appetizer Combo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Frankly, we didn’t have high expectations about a restaurant named “Nora’s Cafe.”\u00a0 It sounds so parochial and main street\u00a0 any-town America.\u00a0 Our friend Lynn Garner and her dining companions, who didn’t have misgivings about the name, raved about it.\u00a0 Their endorsement weighs heavily.\u00a0 As for the name, in Arabic culture, we learned the name Nora means “light” or “brilliance.”\u00a0 \u00a0Sufyan, the restaurants general manager, accomplished chef and member of the family that owns Nora’s explained that in a family which has sired nothing but males, his niece Nora is the only girl.\u00a0 That’s two great reasons the name Nora’s makes sense.<\/p>\n

Nora’s is located on Menaul closer to Juan Tabo than to Eubank.\u00a0 Immediately next door is the Alamana Market where you can purchase halal meats as well as pastries and Middle Eastern comestibles.\u00a0 The restaurant’s entire menu is posted above, more temptation for those of us who love meats.\u00a0 Among the market’s offerings are sheep’s head (which makes a wonderful consomm\u00e9) and goat’s head (presumably also excellent).\u00a0 \u00a0Sufyan shared that a Middle Eastern bakery will be occupying the space to the cafe’s immediate east.\u00a0 It’s a family owned and operated enterprise with everything you could possibly want in one location.<\/p>\n

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Bread<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Service is unfailingly polite at Nora’s.\u00a0 Sufyan loves to discuss Middle Eastern cuisine and is well-connected in the community.\u00a0 Among family friends are the Abdeljalil family which owns the aforementioned Al-Qud’s.\u00a0 Sufyan invited comparison between Nora’s and Al-Qud’s, boasting that many of Nora’s dishes are the best he’s ever had–and he’s a well-traveled guy.\u00a0 Sufyan is a classically trained chef, having completed a rigorous five-year degree program in Jordan.\u00a0 He can cook anything, but his heart is with Middle Eastern cuisine.\u00a0 During the delightful hour-and-a-half we spent at Nora’s, Sufyan insisted we try the Arabic tea and tabouli, neither for which we were charged.\u00a0 \u00a0Both were superb!\u00a0 I can’t guarantee you’ll get free food when you visit, but you will be well taken care of.<\/p>\n

Nora’s menu will be familiar to all aficionados of Middle Eastern cuisine.\u00a0 Take a leap and try Jordanian food, some of which was made during the halcyon days of Petra.\u00a0 Under the menu heading “Home Style Dishes,” you’ll see several Jordanian dishes.\u00a0 Some are available on a daily basis while others require that you pre-order them.\u00a0 Friday’s special is Jordanian mansaf, the national dish of Jordan.\u00a0 Traditionally mansaf is a communal meal of lamb and rice layered with thin flatbread, topped with fragrant rice and tender bone-in lamb, then drenched in the unique yoghurt sauce before being garnished with toasted nuts and parsley.\u00a0 Just our luck our inaugural visit was on a Thursday.<\/p>\n

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Arabic Tea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The menu also includes a “Jordanian Breakfast” menu that lists items I’ve enjoyed for lunch and dinner at other Middle Eastern eateries.\u00a0 \u00a0My knowledge of two of them–shakshukah and foul medames–was a surprise to Sufyan who remarked that “I’ve tried everything<\/em>.”\u00a0 Not quite though I’m certainly willing to try.\u00a0 Other menu sections list Salads, Appetizers\/Sides,”Wraps, Special Soups, Protein Plates, Hot Drinks and Desserts.\u00a0 \u00a0It’s a menu that reads better than some novels.\u00a0 Best of all, it won’t empty your wallet.<\/p>\n

2 October 2025<\/strong>:\u00a0 Our friend Lynn raved about the Appetizer Combo,<\/strong><\/em> a generous platter replete with baba ghanoush, fried cauliflower, hummus, falafel and grape leaves served with bread.\u00a0 Her affections were not misplaced.\u00a0 This is a wonderful appetizer, a superb introduction to the high quality and freshness of Nora’s cuisine.\u00a0 Sufyan proudly explained that everything at Nora’s is made “home style” just as it would be prepared at home when feeding the family.\u00a0 That’s readily apparent.\u00a0 The baba ghanoush is some of the best we’ve had.\u00a0 It’s smoky, rich, and absolutely addictive, with an earthy eggplant base complemented by a nutty, creamy tahini flavor.\u00a0 My Kim was besotted by the fried cauliflower, a dish we’ve rarely encountered.\u00a0 The falafel has a delicate spiciness that my Kim couldn’t handle, but most New Mexicans would appreciate.<\/p>\n

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Lamb and Okra Soup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2 October 2025<\/strong>: The bread, what most would term as “pita,” is wonderful.\u00a0 In Arabic culture, bread is a deeply symbolic food.\u00a0 It represents life, a divine gift, hospitality, and community. Bread<\/strong><\/em> is often eaten with every meal.\u00a0 It’s served with the appetizer combo in a plate with several wedge-shaped slices forming a circle.\u00a0 The bread has a light pinto pony char.\u00a0 It makes an excellent dip for the baba ghanoush and hummus though you could eat a plateful by itself and be entirely satisfied.\u00a0 Bread is one of those foods that has been made by many cultures across the millennia.\u00a0 Along with tortillas and naan, I might be able to subsist on bread alone despite Matthew’s exhortation that “man cannot live on bread alone<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

2 October 2025<\/strong>: Though I pride myself on a fearless palate, the one “food” I dislike immensely is tea.\u00a0 That stems from having attended a Boy Scout swim camp at Lake Conchas where the only beverage provided was tea.\u00a0 Should it be served with a meal, I look for the nearest plant where I can dispose of that offensive beverage.\u00a0 Still when Sufyan ferried over two cups of Arabic tea<\/strong><\/em>, I was determined not to offend our host and rebuff his kindness.\u00a0 As it turns out, Arabic tea is quite palatable with both green and black cardamom providing a slight kick reminiscent of cloves.\u00a0 This is one tea I won’t kick off our table.<\/p>\n

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Lamb Chops<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2 October 2025<\/strong>: The dish Lynn and her culinary cohorts enjoyed most may have been the lamb and okra soup<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 It’s one of three soups on the daily menu in addition to a chef’s special soup (mushroom on the day of our inaugural visit).\u00a0 Rightfully so, Sufyan raved about the soup, particularly the chef’s preparation of the lamb.\u00a0 Indeed, generous bite-sized chunks of tender lamb were absolutely mouth-watering.\u00a0 Sufyan explained that the secret to preparing lamb as well is selecting a lamb that’s not too old or too old.\u00a0 It’s a special balance the chef understands.\u00a0 He also shared that many people find the “sliminess” (mucilaginous) of okra off-putting, but was confident that wouldn’t be the case with us.\u00a0 The baby okra was fresh with a slight herbaceousness.\u00a0 This is one soup everyone should try.<\/p>\n

2 October 2025<\/strong>: I had to do a double-take when perusing the menu and seeing under the “Protein Plates” a rack of lamb chops<\/strong><\/em> for less than twenty dollars ($16.99 as of this writing).\u00a0 Normally you can expect to pay upwards of $35 for lamb chops and you’re getting off cheap at that price.\u00a0 Not only will you get lamb chops, but they’re accompanied by hummus, rice, a salad and more of that fantastic Arabic bread.\u00a0 The lamb chops are not “Frenched” (the process of cutting away fat and meat from the bone end for esthetic presentation) so they’re not as fancy as high-end lamb chops.\u00a0 Because there’s still quite a bit of fat on the bone, you’ll have to work just a bit harder for the well-seasoned lamb.\u00a0 It’s well worth the effort.<\/p>\n

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Beef Kebob Wrap<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2 October 2025<\/strong>: My Kim’s choice was a beef\u00a0 kebob wrap<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 \u00a0Instead of Arabic (pita-like) bread, the wrap was made with shrak bread, a large, unleavened, and extremely thin flatbread reminiscent of a flour tortilla.\u00a0 \u00a0The shrak is engorged with moist, well-seasoned beef and is served with a yoghurt sauce somewhat like tzatziki.\u00a0 Drizzled onto the board on which the wrap is served is a pomegranate sauce not unlike a good balsamic.\u00a0 \u00a0Noticing how enamored we were of the pomegranate sauce, Sufyan told us it’s available in the market as is a similar sauce made with dates.\u00a0 Though not nearly as thick as gyros, sliced in two the wrap might be even larger.\u00a0 It’s also quite good.<\/p>\n

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Tabouli<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2 October 2025<\/strong>: You might think that with my bumpkinly upbringing I wouldn’t have a very broad exposure to cuisines of the world.\u00a0 For the most part, would be true.\u00a0 Thankfully among our neighbors were Albert and Jeanette Owen, a wonderful Lebanese couple.\u00a0 Jeanette was a terrific cook whose tabouli showed us there’s more to salad than iceberg lettuce with dressing.\u00a0 Nora’s tabouli<\/strong><\/em> brought back memories of some of the best neighbors anyone could have.\u00a0 \u00a0It’s got a pungent, herbal flavor with subtle peppery notes and brightness from the many chopped herbs (including mint and parsley) and lemon juice.\u00a0 This is one of the best versions of the popular Middle Eastern salad we’ve ever had.<\/p>\n

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Arayes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10 October 2025<\/strong>: Though it’s difficult to pry ourselves from the appetizer combo, we had to try arayes<\/strong><\/em>, a delightful appetizer neither of us had previously had.\u00a0 The menu describes arayes as “toasted bread filled with meat, onion, parsley and Palestinian spices.\u00a0 Four triangle-shaped wedges are drizzled with a sweet-sour date syrup and served with tzatziki sauce.\u00a0 Crispy Arabic bread is a new experience for us.\u00a0 Each wedge is crispy while the ingredients sheathed within are tender and moist.\u00a0 The date syrup adds a surprising dimension, one counterbalanced by the tangy, slightly sour tzatziki sauce.\u00a0 This is yet another great starter.<\/p>\n

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Special Gyro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10 October 2025<\/strong>:\u00a0 Although the standard definition of a gyro is “meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, then sliced and served wrapped or stuffed in pita bread,”\u00a0<\/em>Nora’s version (special gyro<\/strong><\/em> on the menu) comes with pita on the side.\u00a0 This plate is replete with gyro meat (an amalgam of beef and lamb) atop rice, an Arabic salad (fresh tomatoes, onion, cucumber, lemon, Palestinian olive oil) and hummus.\u00a0 Every element of this plate is as good as it can possibly be.\u00a0 My Kim found the Arabic salad surprisingly good for such a simple salad.\u00a0 Credit the freshness of each ingredient for that.\u00a0 The gyro meat is nicely seasoned with a slightly crispy exterior and tender, moist interior.<\/p>\n

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Jordanian Mansaf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10 October 2025<\/strong>: Mansaf is considered the national dish of Jordan, holding significant cultural importance. In Jordan, mansaf represents ihospitality, unity, and cultural heritage. It’s central to major social events like weddings and family gatherings, where it signifies generosity and is eaten communally from a large platter. Historically, mansaf<\/strong><\/em> has also been used to resolve conflicts and restore peace between tribes, with the act of sharing the meal serving as a peace-making ritual.\u00a0 \u00a0Hmm, that sounds like a Nobel Prize worthy dish.\u00a0 Alas, Nora’s serves mansaf only on Fridays.\u00a0 Mansaf is made with tender lamb or goat in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt called jameed.\u00a0 It’s served over rice which acquires some of the delightfully sour flavor of the jameed.<\/p>\n

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Soup Which Accompanies Mansaf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10 October 2025<\/strong>:\u00a0 At Nora’s, mansaf is plated generously with hummus and tabouli.\u00a0 Sufyan also ferried over a hearty bowl of soup made from a lamb stock and enriched by yoghurt.\u00a0 He indicated that soup is essential to the experience of enjoying the dish as Jordanians do.\u00a0 Mansaf is not the most attractive dish on the menu (boiled lamb isn’t especially appetizing to the eye), but it should be on every foodie’s bucket list.\u00a0 \u00a0The lamb is amazing.\u00a0 Any gaminess you might imagine is well taken care of by the jameed.\u00a0 It’s a very tender lamb that chews easily and practically melts in your mouth.\u00a0 The soup is wonderful, too.\u00a0 Shards of that tender lamb float around in the wondrous lamb stock while the tangy yogurt gives you a soup experience unlike any other.\u00a0 Fridays aren’t just the last day of the workweek.\u00a0 Fridays are now the day in which mansaf shines at Nora’s.<\/p>\n

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Knafeh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2 October 2025<\/strong>: Unless you already know what it is, the first time you see a slice of knafeh destined for your table you\u2019re likely to think it\u2019s topped with shaved carrots similar to my favorite Indian dessert Gajar ka halwa (make sure to visit Namaste<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0for my favorite version). Despite appearances, no carrots were harmed in the creation of\u00a0knafeh<\/strong><\/em>, one of the most popular of all Middle Eastern desserts. \u00a0My Egyptian friend and former colleague at UNM, Nader Khalil introduced me to this fabulous dessert some time ago and it\u2019s become an obsession for me, too. \u00a0Norah’s version is superb! \u00a0What you might mistake for carrots is actually crunchy kadaif (angel hair) made from wheat flour and sugar with water into a type of phyllo dough and then shredded to resemble fine angel hair. Two layers of kadaif are filled with a layer of akkawi (a warm cheese), sprinkled with nuts, and baked. After baking, the warm kanafeh is topped with a delicious syrup of sugar and rose water then topped with crushed pistachios (almost necessary because this is a very sweet dessert). \u00a0Kanafeh just might just become one of your favorites.<\/p>\n

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Pistachio Baklava<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2 October 2025<\/strong>: Pistachio baklava is a Middle Eastern layered dessert made from numerous sheets of phyllo dough brushed with butter, filled with finely ground pistachios, and baked to a golden-brown color before being soaked in a sweet syrup.\u00a0 That sentence probably had you at “dessert,” but reading its description isn’t nearly as transformative as enjoying pistachio baklava<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 \u00a0This crispy, sweet, nutty, and flaky confection is absolutely sublime.\u00a0 If pistachios aren’t your thing, Nora’s also offers walnut and almond baklava.<\/p>\n

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Warbat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10 October 2025<\/strong>:\u00a0 For as long as memory serves me, my favorite Middle Eastern dessert has been pistachio baklava.\u00a0 Greek baklava (too sweet) doesn’t cut it.\u00a0 Middle Eastern baklava–whether topped with pistachios or walnuts–is much more balanced, not cloying.\u00a0 Sufyan introduced me to a heretofore untried dessert that may have supplanted pistachio baklava for my affections.\u00a0 That dessert is warbat (no, not Godzilla’s nemesis), a sweet, flaky, triangle-shaped Middle Eastern pastry.\u00a0 \u00a0Layers of thin phyllo dough are brushed with ghee (clarified butter) or butter and filled with a creamy custard known as ashta<\/em>.\u00a0After being baked to a golden crisp, it is drenched in a fragrant sugar syrup then often garnished with crushed pistachios.\u00a0 It’s an outstanding desert!<\/span><\/p>\n

For a taste of Jordan, this formerly precocious youngster can find some semblance of travel at Nora’s Cafe where Jordanian dishes are superb!<\/p>\n

Nora’s Cafe<\/strong>
\n10700 Menaul Blvd., N.E. Suite B
\nAlbuquerque, New Mexico<\/strong>
\n(505) 295-3853
\nWebsite<\/strong><\/a> | Facebook Page <\/strong><\/a>
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 10 October 2025
\n1st VISIT<\/strong>: 2 October 2025
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 2
\nRATING<\/strong>: Very Good<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013\u00a0Good to very good food; generally solid; delivers consistent quality, strong technique, and a comfortable, enjoyable dining experience
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>: Appetizer Combo, Pita Bread, Lamb and Okra Soup, Arabic Tea, Beef Kabob Wrap, Tabouli, Knafeh, Pistachio Baklava, Special Gyro, Jordanian Mansaf, Warbat
\nREVIEW #1491<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a precocious sprout growing up in an agrarian hamlet in Northern New Mexico, I dreamt of travel and adventure.\u00a0 My voracious reading habits included hours immersed in world book encyclopedias, world atlases and National Geographic magazines.\u00a0 \u00a0By my eighth birthday, I was creating maps of the world free-hand and knew more about history and our planet than most of my teachers.\u00a0 I longed to visit and plunge myself in wonders and cultures that existed for me only in books.\u00a0 My longing to experience the world outside of Pe\u00f1asco was, in fact, the primary reason I joined the Air Force days out of high school.\u00a0 While my service career did broaden my experiences, my desire to see and do even more has never waned.\u00a0 \u00a0Alas, now that my Kim and I have the financial means to travel virtually anywhere, health issues have left us more homebound than we would like. Thankfully, I can still travel vicariously through my brothers and sisters, all of whom have traveled the globe.\u00a0 In 2024, my brother Mario and his better half Diana visited Petra in Jordan, one of the sites I first read about in preadolescence.\u00a0 I don’t have a jealous bone in my…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":71270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440,696,141,5631],"tags":[5195,5196,5213,5198,2368,5200,5199,5197,5212,1718,5214,1446,5215],"class_list":["post-71203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-albuquerque","category-middle-eastern","category-new-mexico","category-very-good","tag-appetizer-combo","tag-arabic-tea","tag-arayes","tag-beef-kabob-wrap","tag-bread","tag-halal-market-deli","tag-knafeh","tag-lamb-and-okra-soup","tag-mansaf","tag-pistachio-baklava","tag-special-gyro","tag-tabouli","tag-warbat"],"yoast_head":"\nNora's Cafe - Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=71203\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Nora's Cafe - Albuquerque, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As a precocious sprout growing up in an agrarian hamlet in Northern New Mexico, I dreamt of travel and adventure.\u00a0 My voracious reading habits included hours immersed in world book encyclopedias, world atlases and National Geographic magazines.\u00a0 \u00a0By my eighth birthday, I was creating maps of the world free-hand and knew more about history and our planet than most of my teachers.\u00a0 I longed to visit and plunge myself in wonders and cultures that existed for me only in books.\u00a0 My longing to experience the world outside of Pe\u00f1asco was, in fact, the primary reason I joined the Air Force days out of high school.\u00a0 While my service career did broaden my experiences, my desire to see and do even more has never waned.\u00a0 \u00a0Alas, now that my Kim and I have the financial means to travel virtually anywhere, health issues have left us more homebound than we would like. 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