Good luck getting a table at A La Turk without a reservation. I’ve learnt this the hard way – trying to secure one last minute or stopping by after work hoping to hear seats for two are vacant. It hasn’t happened yet.
It may be their complimentary bread and dip platter. It
takes a lot of willpower not to just tear into the hot puffed pita that arrives
fresh from the oven. Indeed, I often lose and suffered from slightly singed
fingers.
Yet, it’s that steaming toasted pita with a slather of cool
dip that gets you excited for the rest of the meal. There seems to always be a
garlicky creamy spread, a sweeter carrot one, and a zesty and slightly spicy
tomato dip (it’s my favourite_. The fourth condiment can vary between a lightly
pickled vegetable or zucchini tzatizki.
Mix a couple of dips together to create something really
good, but also save them for pairing with main dishes. They went nicely with
the mixed kebab ($36) platter where the chicken wing was grilled beautifully
but lacked seasoning. A dip in the creamy garlic sauce saved the wings and made
it sing.
Meanwhile, the kabab
didn’t need a thing, the mixture was filled with herbs and a bit of chili and
so flavourful that you’d want to leave it plain. Since it’s cooked on the grill,
there was a bit of smokiness but restrained enough that the kebab’s meaty herb flavours could still
be enjoyed. The lamb chop was overdone, but remained moist and delicious, a bit
of lemon zest would make it even better. Lastly, the dish is finished off with
cubes of steak cooked medium… it’s good, after all, it’s steak.
The side of bulgur rice reminded me of a softer dirty rice.
It definitely could use more salt, but with some of the saved tomato chili dip,
it was fantastic. Plenty of veggies finish off the dish so you can mix and
match the garnishes with the meat. Even the puffy bread the meats rest on is
worth a taste, it’s soft and flavourful having soaked in the lovely juices.
If a platter of grilled meat isn’t your thing – sorry we may
not be able to dine together - A La Turk has a number of dishes that combine
proteins on a more balanced basis. The stuffed eggplant ($12) is something I
order every time. Soft and meaty, the eggplant is filled with bell pepper and
walnut pomegranate paste for sweetness and ground beef for a savoury element
and texture. It’s so good that I may order one for myself in subsequent visits.
That bit of texture is sadly what’s missing from the koro dolme ($12) that takes peppers and
eggplant stuffing them with a thick mushy rice. It really needs something else
in the filling to add a bit of bite, or at the very least, cooking the rice
less and incorporating more spices and herbs. In its current form, it was too
sweet and tangy for me.
Having had manti
($25), a Turkish style dumpling, at other restaurants, A La Turk’s version wasn’t
the strongest. The dough was too thick and the filling in miniscule portions
that it almost tastes like you’re eating gnocchi with yoghurt. Less of the tart
garlicky sauce and more texture within the dumpling could improve the dish.
The sarma beyti
($28) takes a seasoned veal and lamb kebab and adds tons of gooey cheese and
eggplant and wraps it in dough before baking it in the wood oven. While I’d
always lean towards sharing the mixed grill platter, this dish is a close
second and is a hot sandwich at its finest.
Whatever you do, save room for dessert. Their kunefe ($8 for the small) takes time to
prepare, but you really want them to not rush this. It turns out best when they
cook it on a lower temperature so the vermicelli noodles turn a crispy golden
brown and the cheese melts into a gooey blob but the syrup doesn’t burn yet.
It’s a sweet that can sometimes be a miss, on one visit the
charred bits around the edges gave the dessert a bitter bite. But more times
than not it’s that sugary, crispy finish that makes you yearn for more. It
might explain A La Turk’s popularity: the fresh pita and dip starting off the
meal on a strong note, while the kunefe ending
it with a sweet finish. Pick up the phone to make that reservation.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 3443 Yonge Street
Address: 3443 Yonge Street
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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
Is That It? I Want More!
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