(This post is based on a visit to the now-closed branch in Sheepshead Bay.) Distinctively yet unselfconsciously fashioned by hand, çiğ köfte (Cheeg Kuf-teh) are Turkish "raw meatballs" that traditionally are made from lamb or beef. This vegan version features bulgur, red pepper, and walnut, which partner in your own hands with lettuce, lemon, leafy herbs, various crisp palate-fresheners, and perhaps a dab of pomegranate sauce, too. Also shown: a two-bite baklava, on the house.
Nefista
105 MacDougal St. (Bleecker-West 3rd Sts.), Manhattan
646-952-0176
656 Anderson Ave. (Columbia-Nelson Aves.), Cliffside Park, New Jersey
201-774-4080
www.Nefista.com
