[nalabama]

I’m happy for Cushing’s good fortune. This thread made me recall nightbird47’s posts and fondness for Cushing. Does anyone have any idea where nightbird47 is now or ended up?

[Johnhw222]

Originally Posted by Oklazona Bound

Naifeh's restaurant was just sold recently was the last Lebanese place around here. I did not know about the Tabouli trail. I wondered why there was a Lebanese restaurant in town. Ethnic food here is limited to Chinese buffets and Mexican food. A neighbor of mine was telling me he goes up to Yale to the Mexican restaurant. He says they have the best burgers around. I was thinking huh? Even Naifeh's had mostly American food.

There is a guy who is a millionaire who has started all sorts of new businesses in Cushing. He reopened the movie theater and an Italian restaurant next door to it. He bought Naifeh's and is reopening it with a different name but some of the same food. Not open yet. But downtown Cushing has gone from being dead in the evening to being packed with people all the time. Last 3 years it has changed for the better.

I had no idea naifeh’s was in Cushing too. From at least 1960 they had a restaurant west of duranrnreally closer to lake texhoma. It closed decades ago but a son opened a steakhouse right next to the big casino south of durant. My mom became a tabouli and still is to this day

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by Johnhw222

I had no idea naifeh’s was in Cushing too. From at least 1960 they had a restaurant west of duranrnreally closer to lake texhoma. It closed decades ago but a son opened a steakhouse right next to the big casino south of durant. My mom became a tabouli and still is to this day

The migration of Lebanese to Oklahoma just before WWII is a fascinating story. Apparently they were basically all from one town in what was then Syria. They came to Oklahoma due to religious persecution back home.

The first generation were mostly merchants and restauranters. Succeeding generations were more in the professional class. There are Lebanese places all over the state (but were thick between Tulsa and Stillwater and OKC).

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by Johnhw222

I had no idea naifeh’s was in Cushing too. From at least 1960 they had a restaurant west of duranrnreally closer to lake texhoma. It closed decades ago but a son opened a steakhouse right next to the big casino south of durant. My mom became a tabouli and still is to this day

The migration of Lebanese to Oklahoma just before WWII is a fascinating story. Apparently they were basically all from one town in what was then Syria. They came to Oklahoma due to religious persecution back home.

The first generation were mostly merchants and restauranters. Succeeding generations were more in the professional class. There are Lebanese places all over the state (but were thick between Tulsa and Stillwater and OKC).

There is a Naifeh's steakhouse in Guymon that is very popular out there. Sadly many of the restaurants have closed because the original owners are older or have passed on and the kids are all Doctors, Dentists and Lawyers.

[Rigeleer]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

The migration of Lebanese to Oklahoma just before WWII is a fascinating story. Apparently they were basically all from one town in what was then Syria. They came to Oklahoma due to religious persecution back home.

The first generation were mostly merchants and restauranters. Succeeding generations were more in the professional class. There are Lebanese places all over the state (but were thick between Tulsa and Stillwater and OKC).

There is a Naifeh's steakhouse in Guymon that is very popular out there. Sadly many of the restaurants have closed because the original owners are older or have passed on and the kids are all Doctors, Dentists and Lawyers.

Interesting. The 2020 census reports just 11,282 Oklahomans who identify as Arab American, not all Lebanese of course, making it number 39 of the states in percentage of Arab Americans.



Oklahoma produced an Arab American war hero in WW II, Lt. Alfred Naifeh, who grew up in Norman. The Navy posthumously named a destroyer after him. There is an article about him on Wiki.