Istanbul Restaurant--Ridgewood

[Rosie]

A new restaurant has recently opened in Ridgewood which is worth trying if you are in the area. Istanbul Restaurant, 23 North Broad Street, Ridgewood is open seven days a week from 12 noon to 10 PM; BYO. This place is small so make a reservation (201-447-0022).

A few of us sampled many appetizers and three entrees. We all felt that the quality of the food was good but a bit underspiced. Portions were ample. The warm bread and pita were delicious and the bread basket was kept full.

We started our with a coban salad ($7.75 for large) made with tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, onions, and scallions with a vinegar and oil dressing. For a $1.50 extra, shredded feta cheese is dusted on top. Most of the appetizers were $4.25. Humus was good but needed an extra tweak of lemon to give it more flavor. The acili ezme, a mixture of finely chopped walnuts, red pepper, and tomatoes was not as hot and spicy as we expected. The babagannus, a puree of smoked eggplant with garlic and sesame oil could have been smokier. Spinach in yogurt sauce was wonderful and I thought the yogurt was fabulous. I'm not big on falafel but everyone at the table seemed to enjoy it.

Five people shared three entrees. The adana kebab, skewered ground meat that was marinated with seasonings and charbroiled was juicy and very tasty. Ditto for the chicken kebab. My favorite was the yougurtlu bebab with thin slices of lamb and beef that have been cooked on a vertical spit and then layered with fried bread and garlic yogurt. Entrees averaged $11 to $12.

There were four desserts and of course we tried one of each. Baklava was fabulous and I could have eaten that for dinner! Kadayif, (shredded wheat) with pistachios and honey was a tad soggy. Kazandibi, a light milk pudding dusted with cinnamon and rice pudding were also enjoyed. The rice in the rice pudding was al dente which one diner didn't like.

With two Turkish coffees, tax and tip the bill was $23 per person.

[tommy]

i tried this place for lunch yesterday. it holds about 32-34 people. a lot bigger than i expected. also, a lot more upscale than i expected, though not enough to put me off. dark wood, burgundy walls, cherry floor, you know the deal (great bathroom).

i have little experience with this type of food, save the occasional 2 am doner kebab at Bereket on Houston street, which is always just perfect. however, this place seemed to be decent enough. i had a doner kebab as a baseline. it was served over either rice or french fries. i chose french fries, which were tasty, but underdone. the dish was garnished with a bit of shredded crisp lettuce/parsley, a grilled tomato, and a grilled pepper. i think i'd skip the fries next time and ask that the meat come served over more of the greens. that mixture, with some yogurt sauce, was perfect.

the grilled lamb dish (name escapes me) was a bit tough. but the flavor was right where it needed to be. especially the burnt bits.

the lunch specials seem to be a particularly good deal at 8 dollars. however, these aren't available on the weekends. this fact wasn't brought to our attention until we tried ordering one.

i found it curious that they don't offer any of there meats on pita, in the form of a sandwich. only "platters." 12 dollars worth of doner kebab is just a bit too much at lunch. i would have appreciated a 9 dollar doner kebab sandwich.

the service, as one might expect, was amateurish. soda was served in a can with an iceless glass. water was refilled promptly.

1 app, 2 entrees, and 3 sodas came to 40 dollars after tip. a lot more than Bereket.

[jhlurie]

There were four desserts and of course we tried one of each. Baklava was fabulous and I could have eaten that for dinner! Kadayif, (shredded wheat) with pistachios and honey was a tad soggy. Kazandibi, a light milk pudding dusted with cinnamon and rice pudding were also enjoyed. The rice in the rice pudding was al dente which one diner didn't like.

In fact, the owner told me that the desserts were shipped in from the bakery located right next to Kervan, in Cliffside Park!

Having never been there, I visited tonight to verify, and it does indeed seem to be the same stuff.

Cihan Patisserie

358 Lawton Ave.

Cliffside Park, NJ

201-840-6111

The baklava was $6.99 per pound, and the Kazandibi was $2.00 for a hefty size "roll".

[Jason Perlow]

My favorite was the yougurtlu bebab with thin slices of lamb and beef that have been cooked on a vertical spit and then layered with fried bread and garlic yogurt. Entrees averaged $11 to $12.

Actually, to be specific we had the iskender kebab, which is sliced lamb (doner), and is served on top of the fried bread with a light tomato sauce and the garlic yogurt on the top.

[richw]

What do you all think of Kervan? That is, if you have ever dined there. They have two locations - Fort Lee & Tenafly (I think). Whenever I visit the area I eat there. It's pretty much the only Turkish restaurant I've ever eaten at and the Iskender is tasty. Since I have never eaten at any of the other Turkish restaurants in the area I don't if I missing out on anything better.

I visit Rockland county several times a year and I'm pretty lost up there. I like the area but the people I visit don't dine out much. If you know of any good, ethnic restaurants/or markets please share.

Thanks

Rich

Edited March 18, 2003 by richw (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

What do you all think of Kervan?  That is, if you have ever dined there.  They have two locations - Fort Lee & Tenafly (I think).

The one in Tenafly was sold to a relative. It is now called Sapphire (201-871-4550)

and is very good.

We started our with a coban salad .... The acili ezme, a mixture of finely chopped walnuts, red pepper, and tomatoes was not as hot and spicy as we expected. The babagannus, a puree of smoked eggplant with garlic and sesame oil could have been smokier.... I'm not big on falafel but everyone at the table seemed to enjoy it.

Five people shared three entrees.... the chicken kebab....

The rice in the rice pudding was al dente which one diner didn't like.

I agree that the salad was very good. The ezme was tasty, actually I liked it. But, I am famous for being a wimp when it comes to spicy heat. I usually don't like Ezme because it is known to be a very spicy concoction, and this wasn't. The predominant flavor seemed to be roasted red pepper. If you like a spicy Ezme, I recommend Ruth's take-out in Fort Lee (201-461-3904).

The babaganus needed more than "smoke" it needed garlic, lemon and salt and a better texture (I didn't like this one). The falafel was the flat pattied non-chickpea variety, similar to what is served at Babylon in River Edge. We actually didn't have the chicken kebab (pieces of chicken), but the Chicken Adana (ground chicken). I'm also the one guilty of not liking the rice pudding. I don't like hard rice in a rice pudding.

This sounds like a lot of complaining, but really, I liked the place. Funny that tommy is the one mentioning the bathroom. It was a nice bathroom (unisex and handicapped accessible).

[Jason Perlow]

What do you all think of Kervan? That is, if you have ever dined there. They have two locations - Fort Lee & Tenafly (I think). Whenever I visit the area I eat there. It's pretty much the only Turkish restaurant I've ever eaten at and the Iskender is tasty. Since I have never eaten at any of the other Turkish restaurants in the area I don't if I missing out on anything better.

Kervan, in Cliffside Park, is a good turkish restaurant but the last few times we've gone there I've had a sense that the food there was going downhill. The one time I went to Topkapi Palace, also in Cliffside, I liked it. Sapphire in Tenafly is a great place but definitely more upscale. Samdan in Cresskill and Babylon in Paramus (in the Huffman Koos shopping complex off of RT 4 on Kinderkamack Rd.) are also both very solid Turkish places -- Babylon has the advantage of being the cheapest of all of them.

My favorite middle eastern in the entire area is still Bennies, in Englewood. Its not really fair to compare it to the others, since its Lebanese, but their salads/mezze are unmatched in the area, as is their kofta kebab, shwarma and felafel. Bennies also makes all its desserts/baklava inhouse, and does a full blown Turkish/Arabic coffee service with the little coffee pots and everything, which to me is a big deal.

[richw]

Perlow family,

Much thanks for the great feedback. I'll be trying your suggestions on my next visit to Rockland county (I stay in New City)

Rich

[jhlurie]

Much thanks for the great feedback.  I'll be trying your suggestions on my next visit to Rockland county (I stay in New City)

Everything described by the Perlows is in Bergen County, not Rockland. Its nearby, of course, but if you keep at it (maybe in the NY State board) you might get some recommendations that are even closer.

A broad recommendation: Piermont, NY.

[dbrociner]

Some of you might also like to try the Bospherous (sp?) in Lake Hiawatha, also a new location just opened on Rt. 53 in Denville (Mt. Tabor?). Turkish food here is good, not great. Steer clear of the lamb chops (dry and tasteless: and expensive) and stick with the kebabs and the chopped salad. I also liked the grilled chicken liver. The place is small and byo, I like beer with Turkish food better than wine.

I've wanted to try Kervan for a long time but am never in that area. The closest I came was at a wake in the summer of '01. There's a funeral parlor across the street. No one else wanted to go for Turkish food at 3 in the afternoon, especially on a somber occassion.

[Rosie]

David--Do they have 2 locations now? I was at Bospherous somewhere off of Rt 46.

[GG Mora]

Anyone been here recently? I'll be in town on business, but dining with friends who recommended this place.

[jwjojo]

Betyi Kabob is a Turkish place in Weehawken/Union City. Very good food.

[tommy]

haven't been since right after it opened, GG, but it didn't suck, so i'd imagine if you don't have a choice that it won't be a terrible option at all.

[GG Mora]

It didn't suck at all. For this Vermont girl, it was great to try something we don't get at home. If I'd had to pay a whole lotta money for the experience, I'm sure I could find more to gripe about, but for the price...

(Three of us shared the following)

Seems they've upped the spice quotient on the acili ezme; I thought it was just right, and I like my "spiced" dishes hot. The ezme had a nice kick without a wollop.

Also had the aforementioned salad with cucumbers, tomato, feta, etc. (good) and the kebab combo. All the kebabs were treated to well-balanced seasoning, none were tough or overcooked.

A stuffed cabbage dish was pasty and enemic and not anything I'd bother to order again.

As for Ridgewood, well...it gave this kid some serious restaurant envy.

[jasper]

Samdan in Creskill has very good consistant Turkish cuisine and if your in Manhattan, Pasha is probably the most authentic and best tasting Turkish joint around.

Edited October 18, 2005 by jasper (log)

[Anonymouze]

Samdan in Creskill has very good consistant Turkish cuisine and if your in Manhattan, Pasha is probably the most authentic and best tasting Turkish joint around.

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My personal Preference is for Sapphire (tenafly? or teaneck or cresskill) which is about 5 minutes away from Samdan, great atmosphere and fantastic authentic tasting food! Never been disappointed yet and we've taken "picky" family members there and they love it!