Café Nur: Turkish, Greek Fare With Small-Town Warmth

Editor's Note: Cyndy Patrick is a San Jose State University journalism student who wrote this piece for Patch as part of a class assignment.

By Cyndy Patrick

A new casual Mediterranean restaurant called Café Nur brings the flavors of the Middle East to Main Street in downtown Los Altos. Spicy aromas fill the small dining room and the atmosphere is small-town and friendly.

Open for only six weeks, the restaurant is owned by brothers Samut and Yusuf Tosun and his wife, Arzu.

The family prides itself on preparing each dish fresh daily including pastries, crepes and the famous Greek baklava.

Their menu includes many Greek favorites such as spanokopita (spinach and cheese pie), mousaka (eggplant and meat lasagna) and arni kokinisto (lamb stew). The restaurant also features Turkish shish kebobs, falafels, gyros and wraps. They serve halal meat.

“This is my first time here,” says Fremont resident Andrew Wood. “I have never tried Turkish food and only a few Greek dishes but the Mediterranean combo is really good, especially the baba ghanouj (roasted eggplant dip)."

The two brothers came to America from Istanbul 17 years ago and went to work in the restaurant business with their uncle on Burlingame Avenue. They later worked at a Greek restaurant in Menlo Park.

“We learned from scratch, from reading and from experimenting,” Yusuf Tosun said.

Tosun admits the family was a bit worried when they decided to open their restaurant. They are Los Altos residents, but a business dependent on foot traffic requires other considerations.

“We were told that Los Altos is too quiet of a town, but things are changing here,” he said. “So far, business is not bad."

Hardy Jones, a Los Altos resident, smiled as he bit into his wrap. “Good food,” he said. “That’s what keeps me coming back. Everything here is so fresh and tasty.”

Catering is available for groups of ten or more and the restaurant is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (10 p.m. on weekends)

Café Nur is located at 280 Main Street in Los Altos. Phone: (650) 917-2313 www.cafenur.net