Cafe Olé- Shakshuka

Cafe Olé (147 N 3rd Street) is a Mediterranean cafe offering coffee, tea, baked goods, breakfast and lunch foods, and Shakshuka. The cafe had a good number of seating outside and inside. It was quite busy when my friends and I visited the cafe for brunch. There was a continual flock of people ordering take out drinks and foods. 

Three of us shared the Vegetable Shakshuka. Shashuka as described on the menu is "a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine featuring three eggs poached in a lightly seasoned tomato sauce." Cafe Olé's Shakshuka is from a family recipe originating from Tunisia and has been passed down to many generation. I was very excited to try the Shakshuka because it looked delicious from the yelp pictures and it seemed like something I would like (l love eggs and tomatoes). The Vegetable Shakshuka supposedly had spinach, chick peas, potatoes, and mushrooms; however, my friend and I noticed that there were no potatoes. We were disappointed but later excused that fact because we asked for two servings of bread which essentially made up for the missing starch. The flavorful and delightful tomato sauce was served with bread. The bread reminded me of the one from the Cafe Fulya featured on this blog and unfortunately closed down. It was soft and airy inside, but hard and somewhat crispy on the outside. The bread soaked in the warm tomato sauce was amazing. The runny yolk from the eggs definitely positively added to the eating experience. In addition, there was a small bowl of feta cheese soaked in olive oil that come with this order. I am not sure if we were suppose to pour the cheese into the Shakshuka or dip the bread into the cheese. I just ended up not touching the cheese. I really enjoyed the Shakshuka. It was so tasty and hearty.

Vegetable Shakshuka

Of course, one of friends and I were being fatties and decided to share something sweet together. We got the waffle and fruits on the breakfast menu. It wasn't as good as I hope it to be. The waffle wasn't crispy on the outside and the dough was subpar. My friend commented that the dough tasted like pancake mix. I agree. It tasted like pancakes made in a waffle maker. It was dissatisfying to get a waffle that tasted like pancakes. On the bright side, the fruits were fresh and sweet.  Overall, I would like to come back for more Shakshuka and to try other things on their menu such as the pastries and sandwiches. 

Waffle and Fruits