Oakwood Cafe: Cooking it up Argentine & Cuban style
Try to list five restaurants in Raleigh that offer Beef Napolitana, Milanesa a Caballo, Ropa Vieja, and Churrasco Steak all vying for your attention on the same menu. On second thought, don’t bother. You only need to know of one. At Oakwood Café, these authentic Argentine and Cuban dishes including other cultural staples are served up six days a week in the small, downtown corner restaurant.
With a name like Oakwood Café, it’s certainly not the first place you’d think of to find the ethnic fare, but in 1999 when the Meccia family opened their restaurant in the same space that once served around the clock breakfast, they simply kept the previous name. On the corner of Person St. and Edenton St., one block from the Historic Oakwood neighborhood, the physical location is the only similarity that remains between the former spot and the Meccia’s new Oakwood Café. Now, over a decade later, dedicated neighbors, devoted downtown lunch diners, and scores of word-of-mouth newbies have made this Oakwood Café a keeper on the insider list of go-to restaurants in Raleigh.
Dining in the modestly appointed cafe, it’s reminiscent of a tiny diner on Calle Ocho in Miami or a neighborhood parrilla (grill) on the streets of Buenos Aires. You’ll overhear Spanish chatter in the bustling kitchen, and you’ll spy Argentine memorabilia on the walls. What you’ll taste is the best Cuban Pork Sandwich ($7.50 lunch, $9 dinner) in the area, classic Empanadas ($2 lunch, $2.50 dinner) and Sweet Plantains ($2 lunch, $2.50 dinner), and a Churrasco Steak with homemade chimi-churri sauce ($9 lunch, $15 dinner) that may have you planning your next trip back before you’ve even finished your current meal.
In addition to the Argentine and Cuban fare, Norberto Meccia is also quick to point out the restaurant’s pasta dishes. The authenticity of the cuisine can be traced back to the Meccia’s roots and family recipes. Meccia is half Italian and half Spanish, raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His passion for pasta developed from his paternal grandmother’s cooking, while his love of preparing simple foods like quality steak and pork with moderate seasonings hails from the traditional focus on meat in Argentine cuisine. He credits his wife, Amalia, also of Buenos Aires, as the expert in Cuban cooking, perfecting the tricks of the trade learned in Miami kitchens while they lived in South Florida before moving to Raleigh.
You can enjoy breakfast Wed.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Fri., and dinner Thurs.-Sat. Due to the small dining room, lunch can get busy, and reservations for dinner are recommended. Take out is always an option, and in the meantime, opt for a sweet jolt of Cuban Coffee while you wait.
HelloRaleigh Tip: If you want to add a little kick to your meal, definitely request the Meccia’s homemade hot sauce to try with your dish. It’s a secret recipe that has become so popular, that it can also be purchased for $5 per jar.
Posted by Angela Risko
