Longtime owner of Jamil’s restaurant in Tulsa dies

Tyrone Elias, owner of the landmark Jamil’s restaurant in Tulsa for about 40 years, died Friday after a short illness. He was 80.

Jamil’s, which sits off Interstate 44 (aka Oklahoma 66) in Tulsa, boasted other ties to the Mother Road during its history.

According to an obituary in the Tulsa World:

Elias was born Oct. 12, 1938, in Bristow and grew up with two brothers and a sister. The children who were old enough worked in their father’s restaurant in Bristow.

“It was called Jim’s or Jimmy’s and was right on Route 66,” said a brother, Bernard Elias. “We washed dishes mostly. Then Tyrone went off to Oklahoma State and got his aviator license. A friend, George Mace, got him interested in being a pilot. He had kind of a second job as a private pilot, flying people around. He flew into his 60s.”

Meantime, Jamil Elias moved to Tulsa in 1944 to open the Hollywood Club on 11th Street (Editor’s note: also on Route 66). Two years later, he established Jamil’s at 2705 S. Harvard Ave., before moving to 2833 E. 51st St. in 1957. Expansion of I-44 forced the restaurant to move a mile east to its current location, 3823 E. 51st St., in 2008.

Tyrone Elias took over ownership of Jamil’s in Tulsa in 1977 after his father died. Other Jamil’s restaurants opened in Oklahoma City, Dallas and Houston.

One of the taglines for Jamil’s ads in the newspaper was “The Boss Is In the Kitchen.” That’s where I found Tyrone Elias one night about 10 years ago when I wanted to talk to him about tabouleh and its recipes (more on that dish in a moment). He patiently listened to my questions and gave a few suggestions on how the dish should be made.

Jamil’s is one of several Lebanese-American steakhouses that have operated in northeast Oklahoma for generations.

Hundreds of Lebanese immigrants and their families arrived in the Sooner State during the Land Rush, and more came during the oil boom of the 1920s. They primarily settled in Tulsa and the surrounding towns of Mannford, Drumright and Bristow. If you look at the top of several old buildings in Bristow, you’ll spot Lebanese names such as Abraham and Elias. There’s even a cook-and-serve tabouleh factory in Bristow.

These immigrants brought their cuisine with them or added to the region’s cowboy cuisine. In the case of Jamil’s and Freddie’s in nearby Sapulpa, Oklahoma, they serve all entrees with appetizers of cabbage rolls, salad, barbecued ribs, barbecued bologna, a relish tray, hummus, bread and tabouleh — the latter which has become a staple in the region.

At many restaurants in the area, it’s common to serve tabouleh — a mix of cracked bulgar wheat, chopped parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers and perhaps a hint of mint, served cold — as a side dish. I saw tabouleh in the delis of mom-and-pop grocery stores and at church potlucks in Oklahoma. It’s nearly as ubiquitous as baked beans. It probably caught on because 1) it’s healthy; 2) it’s a refreshing side dish during the state’s typically hot summers; and 3) it’s tasty.

The newspaper reported a celebration of Tyrone Elias’ life will be at a later date. He was survived by two brothers, a sister, seven children, multiple grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

(Image of Jamil’s neon sign and Tyrone Elias at his restaurant via Facebook)