Joined my friend Serena, her daughter Kyra, and a visiting student from China at this neighborhood stand-by. We ate in the large, open dining room, but there's also a lounge area up front where, I imagine, one could stop in for appetizers and drinks.
Imam bayildi ("Imam fainted"; $6.50) is still one of my favorites here; it's a cold appetizer of baby eggplant stuffed with onion, red and green peppers, currants, pine nuts, and a little garlic. Stuffed grape leaves and fried calamari are OK.
We shared the mixed grill ($19.50) of chicken kebab, shish kebab (lamb cubes), kofta kebab (ground lamb), and a lamb chop, with rice. I like lamb, especially in kofta kebab; the grilled items were fine, but a little dry. We also shared the marinated salmon wrapped in vine leaves ($12.50), which was moister though not especially flavorful.
From the dessert cart, we managed to hold ourselves to three choices for the four of us: rice pudding, a moist (but not soaked) baklava, and a pistachio pudding (about $4 each). The pistachio pudding was my choice, but now that I've tried it, it's back to the almond pudding next time.
No rush to get back here: Nice food, somewhat leisurely service. Good marks to our waitress for plenty of patience with the kids.
Turkuaz
2637 Broadway (at 100th St.)
212-665-9541
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