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Pita & Naan's Omar Attaie (right) and his father, Mahboob Attaie, pose for a portrait at the restaurant.
Omar Attaie already had one thing going for him when he opened the new Pita & Naan restaurant — his father, Mahboob Attaie.
That’s because the affable, always-smiling Mahboob is a fixture in downtown Lincoln, having served gyros to hungry late-night diners for 32 years at Ali Baba Gyros, the restaurant owned by his brother Naqibullah Attaie.
Mahboob has a penchant for remembering faces and, more importantly, what you liked to order. For me, it was the “Z" sandwich, a gyro loaded with feta cheese.
A gyro plate at Pita & Naan.
So when Omar decided to start a restaurant, he naturally turned to his father, which, by happenstance, worked out nicely for Mahboob. Naqibullah had recently sold Ali Baba, leaving Mahboob as a free agent of sorts.
So Mahboob took his culinary skills and recognizable face down the block to help Omar, who opened Pita & Naan, a fast-casual restaurant specializing in Mediterranean and Eastern cuisine, on June 8 at 1434 O St., where Rutabaga's and, before that, Lazzari’s used to be.
“I keep telling Dad that I should put a cardboard cutout of him outside the restaurant to let people know he’s here and not there anymore,” Omar joked. “He knows so many people.”
During my visit last week to the restaurant, Mahboob was behind the counter. I re-introduced myself because I had not been to Ali Baba in quite some time. Mahboob said he remembered me and noted my absence.
I asked him if one of my journalist friends continued to visit. “Every Tuesday,” Mahboob said, noting my friend still ordered the same thing for himself, but took home a different dish for his wife: a yellow chicken curry. Omar’s mother, Malalay, is the reason for that.
Malalay’s influence has resulted in the Afghani/Indian fare of curries and kormas — the “Naan” part of the restaurant’s name — found on Pita & Naan’s menu. They complement the Mediterranean foods of gyros, chicken shawarma and falafel — the “Pita” part — that are Mahboob’s specialties.
A garlic naan at Pita & Naan.
Malalay spent more than 20 years in the food industry at the Country Club of Lincoln, so, when combined with Mahboob’s history, it’s easy to understand how Omar ended up in the biz. Omar, who worked at Ali Baba while in high school and his first year of college, graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2015 with a business degree. He was in software sales before switching his career path to follow in his parents’ footsteps.
“I guess you could say I’ve come full circle,” he said.
Pita & Naan’s menu is divided between “signature dishes” (the Eastern fare) and “create your own” (the Mediterranean fare).
A dish of yellow curry at Pita & Naan.
There are six signature dishes: chicken tikka korma, yellow chicken curry, meatball korma, beef korma, vegetable korma and a “choose two” option, ranging in price from $9.99 to $10.95. Signature dishes are served over white or seasoned rice and a choice of sauce: tzatziki, chutney or spicy tzatziki.
There are three proteins — gyro, chicken shawarma or falafel — available for the create-your-own meals. Each can be served on a pita bread, with a Greek salad or with a choice of rice. Prices range from $8.99 to $9.99. Add a dollar if you add Greek fries to the meal.
The menu also has several sides, appetizers and/or desserts, including hummus, naan and baklava.
My wife and I created our own meals. She had the mildly spiced chicken shawarma with a salad, and I had one of Mahboob’s gyros (on pita bread), which was just as delicious as the many “Z” sandwiches he made me at Ali Baba over the years. We loved our food. The portions were large and the meat on each dish was quite flavorful. We’re anxious to try an Eastern dish on our next visit. Omar recommends trying the meatball or chicken tikka kormas.
While the food was wonderful, the highlight for me was catching up with Mahboob following our meal. Grade: A
Omar started fresh, purchasing new tables and chairs and re-doing the service counter to accommodate Pita & Naan’s fast-casual service. There’s seating for 50 or so, with a bulk of it at tables and booths at the back of the restaurant. There’s also a counter/bar running along the front window looking out onto O Street. The color scheme is warm, featuring beige, avocado green and rust. The focal point is a small nook opposite the service counter, where two plush, black chairs flank a small round black table. Behind it on the wall is a neon sign saying, “Life’s too short Eat Pita & Naan.” Grade: B
It’s fast-casual, so patrons order at the counter and either head to a table or wait near the counter for their meals. During busy lunch and dinner hours, staff members will hand patrons pagers, which will light up when their food is ready. The wait is never long. On our visit, Mahboob had our food ready two to three minutes after ordering. Food is served in disposable to-go boxes. Plastic utensils are at the condiment/soda station between the front counter and seating area. When it’s not crazy busy, Mahboob often takes time to visit with customers. Grade: A
Those with diet concerns will be pleased with Pita & Naan’s menu. Go to the menu on the website and you’ll find entrees noted as gluten- and/or dairy-free or vegan friendly.
And though the overall menu is small, the selection is substantial for those with diet concerns, with entrees available over rice or a Greek salad. Gluten-free dishes include the yellow chicken curry, chicken tikka korma and falafel. Grade: A
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Specialty: Mediterranean and Eastern cuisine.
Payment: Cash, major credit cards.
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to midnight Monday-Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Thursday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday (Note: Late-night hours may vary).
Notes: On-street or garage parking, alcohol (beer, wine, seltzer, cider), takeout, delivery, online ordering.
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Pita & Naan's Omar Attaie (right) and his father, Mahboob Attaie, pose for a portrait at the restaurant.
A gyro plate at Pita & Naan.
A dish of yellow curry at Pita & Naan.
A garlic naan at Pita & Naan.
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