Unwind Cafe - Time To Unwind
Three Cuban Americans Find a Home on 23rd Street
Cuban by birth and raised in Miami and New York, Maria and Kefren Arjona spent a warm, late April 2021 evening at The Pump, NW 23rd Street’s neon destination for balanced tiki drinks and a friendly, diverse crowd. They were planning a move to Oklahoma City and enjoying the change of pace. In Miami, warmth and communication amongst strangers had declined in their eyes. Too many people there lived in their own worlds, focused on looks, perceptions, and their phones. Sitting with their drinks and the weight of an impending move, the Arjonas struck up a pleasant conversation with another couple and quickly divulged their status as transplants. “What a nice thing,” Maria thought. “This would have never happened in Miami.”
The couple invited Maria and Kefren to a home cooked dinner that Saturday. Maria couldn’t believe it. Shock, suspicion, and gratitude passed across her face once again as she recounted such genuine hospitality. “Who, these days, without knowing you, would invite you for dinner at their house?! That was my first experience in Oklahoma City.” They had found a home. Four months later, the Arjonas’ Unwind Cafe opened.
Neighbors to the Tower Theatre and located in the former Scottie’s Deli site, Unwind’s menu and atmosphere are built for happy crowds seeking a delicious, colorful morning or afternoon. Turquoise booths and subway tile paired with bright white chairs match the drunk checkerboard ceiling tiles, which Maria painted by hand. They import strong Cuban coffee from Miami for cortaditos (espresso with sweetened condensed milk) and offer a mimosa bar. The plating of their dishes and their eye-catching, signature “LOVE” pastries demonstrate the intention and care in each item served. Favorite sandwiches include the Cuban, the Mikel-Angelo, and the Chicken Salad; diners have noted these high-quality, deli-style sandwiches as being some of the best in OKC. Weekends are packed and the crowds are appreciative. In early November, their chef walked out from the kitchen and was greeted with applause.
It’s easy to see how the Arjonas make quick friends. Kefren has never met a stranger. Maria’s kind and determined nature quickly convinces you she could will her way through most challenges. Kefren and Maria fled Cuba as young children in the years following the Cuban revolution. Kefren spent his teenage years in New York City living in packed apartments with friends and stretching large deli sandwiches to last multiple days. After growing up in Miami, Maria spent her later teenage years in central Europe and the American south. They met at a time when both were in Miami, became friends, and later married. They’ve managed restaurants, built a farm from scratch, and own a successful commercial kitchen and food business incubator, Commercial Kitchen 305, in Miami. They have struggled and succeeded. The Arjonas know the value of a hospitable community.
Chef Mikel Pichs, for whom the Mikel-Angelo sandwich is named, is responsible for the food or, as he calls it, his “love and passion.” The son of doctors, he was studying medicine while in Cuba when he had the chance to leave for Europe. With new options available, he studied pastry and other culinary arts at schools across Barcelona. It was his calling. After living in Spain and Italy, he landed in Miami, working as a dishwasher at a Marriott hotel concept. He was offered and accepted a spot on a team moving to the Villa Casa Casuarina at the former Versace Mansion. There, he worked his way up from dishwasher to line cook to executive pastry chef. Concerned that his ability to stand out would be limited in Miami, Maria and Kefren convinced Chef Mikel to join them in Oklahoma City. Maria refers to Mikel as her godson. When asked how that came to be, she recounted, “I asked him if he had been baptized. He said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘I’m going to baptize you.’” Mariana manages many things.
Challenges do exist for the Arjonas, Chef Mikel, and Unwind. The first challenge is out of their control and rampant in the restaurant community: staffing. New hires don’t show up on day one or disappear on day three. Both Kefren and Maria work the front at times, visiting with guests, making cortaditos, and working the stick. Their primary server, Anita, is a recent California transplant who has worked in hospitality most of her life and sees it as her career. Finding people who match Anita’s drive and sense of purpose has been difficult. Their second challenge is echoed by many who come to OKC: capacity building. OKC diners are ready for distinct, high-quality ingredients with clear and pronounced flavors, but certain ingredients are difficult to obtain. Getting the right coffee or chocolate, for example, requires Chef Mikel to import it from Miami or drive to Dallas, which he does monthly. Bakery items they were hoping to source must now be made in house. Ultimately, their near singular focus on quality may both expand palates and drive local markets to solve their current problems.
In spite of these challenges, the quality of food and drink at Unwind Cafe is high, as are the spirits. Kefren’s gregarious laugh echoes, making otherwise mundane moments joyous. Maria’s calming voice makes you feel right at home. Chef Mikel produces croissants, eclairs, and biscotti while turning plated sandwiches and breakfast dishes into art. The future holds even more for Unwind Cafe. As challenges are resolved, the space will become a tapas bar with salsa dancing in the evening. The Arjonas plan to expand their baking operation and are looking for rooftop spaces to open a bar. Kefren’s drive, Maria’s direction, and Mikel’s skill will continue to push OKC’s expectations and sense of what the city can offer in new directions.
> Unwind Cafe, 427 NW 23rd St, Oklahoma City; (405) 768-4770; unwind.cafe
