Naman’s Market is going to be quite impressive, even more so than I thought. It ought to be “the” place to go for anyone working or living east of I-65.

Alec Naman recently took me on a thorough tour of the facilities. The set-up is logical and functional. There are two entrances, on the southwest side of the building you enter the café/prepared foods area, and on the southeast is the market. They connect on the inside.

When you walk into the market side there are four to five checkout counters and on your immediate left is a customer service booth. This is where you can request certain items, pick up to-go orders, select and pick up party trays or plan catering needs. To your right on entering will be a wall of Carpe Diem coffees that can be ground or bought as beans. All along the eastern wall is an impressive case that will sell a myriad of produce, vegetables that are both traditionally grown and organic. I was surprised so much space is dedicated to these.

Along the back wall are two frozen food cases. One will have lines such as Amy’s organic pizzas and meals and other specialty frozen items. The other will have Naman’s-made appetizers, casseroles for two or family sized and other items. In between all of this will be open shelving that will sell gourmet items, international foods and spices.

A large area is also dedicated to wine and beer. The fresh meat, poultry and seafood case will mark the dividing line between the market and café. Across from this counter will be fresh, packaged wraps, meals, dips, salsas and other daily made pick-ups. One interesting idea is that Naman’s will have meals for one. For instance, pineapple chicken with rice that can be taken to work and heated in the microwave or taken home for dinner.

This is great for singles, couples that cannot agree or Infirmary workers who want to buzz out and pick something up while on break. The fresh meats/seafood case area is ample. Anything and everything you can think of will be here. There will be a steamer for seafood, sauces, spices and dry rubs and they can prepare any of the meats for you.

Alec says they will season items for you or even cook them while you wait. You could have a steak cooked, have a salad made and pick up a prepared vegetable, and that would mean you have nothing to clean up at home. As you lead into the café/prepared foods area, there is another large case for desserts – pies, cakes, pastries and fresh cookies.

Between inside and outside, seating is available for 100. The café section has numerous offerings. First, there is a salad station where you can have someone make you a salad from many ingredients – meats, cheeses, vegetables, toppings and homemade dressings. In front of this will be a case of cold pre-prepared sandwiches, wraps and salads. Next there will be grilled and rotisserie chickens, ribs, pork roasts and other cooked meats.

Also, a large selection of prepared chicken salads, tuna, pasta, couscous, tahboulli and vegetable salads will be made each day and change with the seasons. Naman’s will open at 7:30 each morning and serve breakfast – Greek doughnuts, pastries, biscuits and the like along with all-day-long coffee, lattes and cappuccino using Carpe Diem espresso and coffee beans. During the lunch and dinner hour, there will be specials with vegetables for eat in or pick-up.

The back-of-house is almost larger than the front. Enormous coolers, prep, cooking and cleaning areas will house an impressive number of staff to keep everything running. Many were busily filling out employment forms and being interviewed the afternoon I was present.

Naman’s plans to be open for shopping and eating from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and until 9 p.m. on weekends. Naman believes he will reach beyond those living in midtown and downtown. With the Infirmary and its upcoming Cancer Center coming on line along with Springhill ladies tooling back and forth from school carpools, these two currently underserved groups will be pleased.

Look for Naman’s to be open the first week in November, and to hear more from me in the next issue about specific food items.

219 after dark

Café 219 is doing a booming business on Friday and Saturday nights. They are offering a late night menu, serving from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. There is an absolute dearth of places to eat late night that are not chains, with only two others open this late (or later) in LoDa – Liquid and Picklefish.

Café 219 still opens at night when there are major events at the Saenger and serves two or three special plates on these evenings. But, most Friday and Saturday nights/mornings you can get a Monte Cristo, Cuban, Club, Chicken Caesar, Southwest, Tuscan or Thai Wrap along with just about any kind of 10” pizza you would like.

All items are no more than $9 and the sandwiches come with potato salad, slaw, fruit or chips. And yes, they serve from their full bar, wine and beer menus as well until 3.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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