A heaping helping of news & reviews from DFW’s dining scene.
It’s been two years since we dropped in on Sam and Didem Sensel, owners of Istanbul Grill. And in that time, their restaurant has gone from being a small, relatively unknown eatery to one of the premiere dining spots for Mediterranean cuisine in North Texas.
They’re so in demand that they have considered expanding. “It gets very busy on the weekends,” says Sam.
The compact-yet-cozy interior makes the place all the more exclusive. The low lighting, music and well-placed European decor provide an ambiance fit for Turkish fine dining. And they’ve set their eyes on local cuisine dominance by augmenting their menu with several new items.
The Hunkar Begendi ($12) — also known as the Sultan’s Delight — and the lamb saute ($12.50) feature seasoned lamb along with the restaurant’s signature homemade tomato sauce. It’s a delicate, smooth blend of herbs that puts the sauce at most Italian restaurants to shame. In the Sultan’s Delight, pureed eggplant lines the plate. It’s warm and soft, with a texture reminiscent of mom’s mashed potatoes. The Sensels really know how to win a guy over.
According to Sam, the yogurt-covered Beyti ($11.50) and yogurt kebabs ($12) have been well received. Either can be ordered with chicken, but he recommends the adana kebab – ground lamb with a texture like a burger patty – in the Beyti, while reserving the chicken for the yogurt kebab dish.
In the Beyti, lamb is wrapped in tortillalike bread and covered in tomato sauce. It’s sweet and spicy, and we’ll just call it the Mediterranean version of a burrito. Of the two, I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken yogurt kebab (no surprise there). The tomato sauce makes another appearance, while grilled chicken cubes are set over a layer of fried pita bread. If the Beyti is a burrito, the yogurt kebab is lasagna.
We also couldn’t pass up a few old favorites: The Karisik Meze Tabagi ($12.95) is a collection of the menu’s best appetizers. Spoil your taste receptors with smooth baba ghanoush, hummus, cold and crisp shepherd salad and piyaz — a fresh and flavorful saladlike combination of onions, parsley, red peppers and white beans dressed in vinegar.
Go ahead and take a big whiff of that plate. It’s not weird, it’s fresh — everything is made in-house.
The Karisik Izgara ($16.95) is a five-meat plate that includes chicken and lamb kebabs, as well as grilled gyro meat. They’re all tender and seasoned well, and the lamb is the best of the bunch. Upgrade the experience by dipping each meat in the tongue-piercing spicy red sauce, followed by a dip in the cool yogurt dressing. How’s that for contrast?
And still the best way to end a Mediterranean meal is with baklava ($4), a Turkish treat of flaky dough infused with all you can’t resist. Each plate has four homemade squares layered with honey and the subtle crunch of walnuts. It’s not a new dish, but it’s the crunchy classic that sweetly says, “We know you’ll be back.”
