Now that Mohamed “Mo” Alkassar and chef Niven Patel of Alpareno Restaurant Group have made their mark in Miami—having opened such lauded restaurants as Erba and Ghee Indian Kitchen—they’ve set their sights on Palm Beach County. In February, they debuted NiMo in Tequesta, moving into the airy and inviting space briefly occupied by Josco Garden. Diners can expect coastal Mediterranean fare, tinged with the same light touch, seasonal ingredients, and cool flare that permeate Patel’s other ventures.
“We have a lot of layers of flavors and familiar dishes but with our twist,” says Patel. “How I love to cook is very light and simple. It isn’t heavy with cream, butter, and heavy spices, but there are lots of layers of flavors.”
A portmanteau of both owners’ names, NiMo is a true marriage of Alkassar’s heritage and Patel’s cuisine. “You’ll see a lot of inspiration all the way from Syria to Spain,” says Alkassar, citing standouts such as green chickpea hummus and NiMo’s best-selling lamb chops. “I was born in Madrid and raised in Syria. It’s a little bit of my story told through Niven’s food, and I think it’s also an evolution of our partnership—many years of sharing stories and talking about food and what I grew up eating.”
Above all, Patel and Alkassar want NiMo to be a neighborhood restaurant, where locals can have multiple meals a week and a different dining experience each time. As they note, that ambition starts with approachable price points, warm hospitality, daily happy hour offerings, and a simple yet bold menu that encourages discovery.
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