The Turkish lamb burger ($10) and creamy grilled cheese, tomato and pesto sandwich ($8) are other interesting options.
Turkish lamb kebabs For 2 350g cubed lamb juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsps olive oil 1 tbsp dried oregano (it is actually better than fresh for this) I never tire of lemon as a flavouring for meat or fish, particularly when it has has been grilled till faintly crisp outside while retaining succulence within.
Juicy rib eye steak, baked sea bass and Turkish lamb with red bell pepper and Swiss chard are also on offer.
ON the top floor of Istanbul's Marmara Pera hotel, the restaurant Mikla serves a dish that, at first glance, may look like a simple upgrading of a Turkish standard: smoked lamb loin with a side of white-bean purée — tasty enough, to be sure, but perhaps nothing special.
My friend Patricia glazes the roast lamb with Turkish pomegranate syrup.
The Turkish ground beef and lamb patties (kofte) were also delicious, packed with flavor.
We eat tsimmes made with Thai sweet potatoes, roast lamb with Turkish glaze and sweet, Georgian haroset.
WHAT WE LIKED Lentil soup, hummus, baba ghanouj, fava bean dip, phyllo pizza, Kairo salad, red salad, grilled salmon, grilled shrimp, grilled lamb, baklava, Turkish coffee.
The 10 pide (pronounced pee-DAY) main courses, stuffed with combinations of everything from pastrami, ground lamb and Turkish sausage to cheeses, vegetables and eggs, cost from $8 to $9.
The name suggests Turkey, but the food has a broader scope, with crispy calamari; clams oreganato; Moroccan fish tagine (spiced red snapper with preserved lemon, olives and vegetables); and pizzas, in addition to Turkish specialties like spiced lamb kebabs served with toasted pide — flat bread — drizzled with yogurt and tomato sauce.
In many parts, the land is as wild today as it was 200 years ago, full of jumpy rivers kicking out of the Bitterroot Mountains and exotic surprises like the Turkish cook who serves lamb tahini deep in the folds of high country.
