I was very pleasantly surprised by this place and would definitely recommend a visit.
First, the manager and wait staff are actually Turkish, which is usually a plus in terms of authenticity.
On a Saturday night around 8:30 it was packed. It had clearly been packed for at least an hour before that and was still packed by the time we left around 10. Definitely make reservations in advance or you will struggle. What’s interesting about this place is that it’s the second one of ta group of three restaurants all within a few minutes of each other. Gallipoli is the original restaurant, which is just a few doors down, and it became so popular they opened up this second restaurant. I was very skeptical because usually the original is the best and the second iteration declines in caliber. I will admit, I haven’t been to the original, but I have no complaints about this place, so I’m not sure how that one would be better.
Beyti Sarma – this is essentially adana kebab (minced lamb grilled on a skewer) wrapped in lavash bread and cut up into individual pieces (maybe 10 pieces or so). It’s topped with a yogurt and tomato sauce. It’s definitely a more unique kebab and less commonly found than the adana kebab or the iskender kebab, so it’s worth a try if you’re in the mood for something different. Great dish, but the texture of the lamb could’ve been a bit better. Lavash was great as were the sauces.
Mix Salad – even though this is a side order, the portion was still pretty good. This wasn’t the classic Turkish shepherd’s salad, but close. It had tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers, and parsley.
Turkish Bread and Pita Bread mix – you can order full baskets of just one, or you can opt to do half and half. The pita bread is the clear winner for me, but some people prefer what the menu here refers to as “Turkish bread” (though this isn’t actually the case). The pita is a soft, thin, not-dry, good quality pita. The “Turkish Bread” is a round, spongy bread chopped into pieces and a bit dry.
The ambiance is nice and has a ton of personality, which I really dig. The wait staff is nice, the food is great, and I would highly recommend this place.
