Café Rumi
3903 Wyoming
Kansas City, MO 64111

Phone (816) 931-1855
Fax (816) 931-1856

Lunch Menu $6.25 - $12.95

Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club

Named for a 13th century Persian Sufi poet who wrote of love and life, this Eastern Mediterranean restaurant is unique. Café Rumi opened in the spring of 2003 in a garage that once housed the vintage car collection of Joe Engle.

At the corner of Wyoming and 39th, Café Rumi is tucked into close quarters with an unusual dining area and kitchen. During nice weather, diners enjoy small tables with the front of the restaurant open onto the street and extending outside under canvas. There is also an upstairs dining area, which seats about 50 and is used on inclement days.

Don’t expect the sandwiches to be the conventional ones that you are familiar with. The wraps, salads and other familiar menu items all have a spicy “zing,” which ensures that you will remember lunch.

The kitchen area is behind a wooden partition and the sounds and aroma added to our dining experience.

Fortunately for a novice like me, the wait staff is pleasantly helpful in explaining unfamiliar menu items. I tried some new sauces and combinations, and came away feeling very cosmopolitan, even adventuresome. There are many entrées that I plan to order on future visits.

On this day, I enjoyed the special, a Lebanese fish “sandwich” with a side salad ($6.95). My sandwich was served open on pita and was topped with a delicious sauce, which was described as spicy but which I found relatively mild. There were other sauces which did have a real tang, and I suggest you be brave and sample several. My sandwich came with a crisp salad.

One of the advantages of dining with others is the opportunity to sample a variety of dishes. My tablemate ordered the grilled sumac chicken ($8.95). The chicken breast was marinated in olive oil, garlic, oregano and sumac, topped with a tasty cucumber sauce and served on a bed of rice. We each thought our choice was superior, and both portions were generous.

The salad selections range in price from Tabouleh ($6.25) to an Andalusian salad for $8.75. The latter is marinated chicken served with imported Spanish olives on a bed of romaine with tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions and onions with a lemon vinaigrette. Zorba’s olive medley ($7.25) has Greek, Turkish and Spanish olives with feta cheese, cucumbers and tomatoes dressed with a zesty blend of spices and oil on warm pita.
There is Greek salad ($7.95) and Fattoush Lentil Salad ($7.50). And for the daring diner (at least in my eyes), there is Calamari Salad ($7.50) with pickled squid in garlic lemon brine with spices on pita.

The menu section of tapas and mezza offers 14 choices, including the house specialty, Shanklish ($7.50), a marinated cheese with herbs and spices with tomatoes and cucumber. The Eastern Mediterranean cuisine is featured here and in the Panini wraps.

The main courses are priced from $8.95 to $12.95, and come with warm pita and green leaf salad. Lamb, chicken and Armenian sausage are all featured. The grilled Kufta ($9.50) is a blend of ground beef, garlic, hot peppers and herbs that is served with grilled tomatoes and onions on a bed of yellow rice and topped with a raita sauce. I sampled it and found it very good.

To finish your meal, there is Baklava ($3.95) and rice pudding ($2.95). For $10, you can enjoy a hookah.

In addition to hot and iced tea, coffee and soda, Café Rumi offers Turkish coffee ($3.95) and “Mediterranean Lemonade,” although I didn’t ask how it differs from ordinary lemonade. They do offer refills.

Tips: Parking is limited since the café shares this corner with a “retro” clothing and furniture store. They do reserve one spot for picking up phoned-in take-out orders. I advise visiting during good weather. There is seating for 12 inside, 12 more outside under canvas. As I mentioned before, there is a larger dining area up a short flight of stairs, which is opened if necessary. The service was conducive to a leisurely lunch.

Café Rumi will cater and deliver for special occasions. They encourage takeout.

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.

Ratings: Friday Fun and Take-Out