10/27/09

The Best Turkish in Texas

by rekuci

I have been all around the world and tried many cousins,including Turkish.I had the best Turkish food,of course in Istanbul and the second in Dallas,at Cafe Istanbul.I took my friends out for dinner there and the restaurant just made my night perfect.We had appetizers,we were offered salad,amaizing and the main course was just out of this world.Very tender and spiced and cooked to perfection.Ihad lamb shank,braised overnight,my friend had stuffed chicken,swordfish sis and Istanbul Doner.AT the end the waiter brought out the sweetest part of all,some baklava and offered turkish coffee.I reccomend this place to anyone,with one of the best patio end a very nice dining room,surranded with evil-eyes,watching You having a good time.

• Pros: 5 star plus one

01/29/09

Best Dolma around

by kristinrglee

I was craving stuffed grape leaves all week and so I went to Cafe Istanbul on a Wednesday night and was promptly seated. I ordered a glass of wine, dolma and some lamb thing in sauce. (I'm pretty new to the turkish food scene and can't recall exactly what it was.)

The dolma was filled with delicious rice and pine nuts I think. I liked the texture and consistency of them. They weren't too big or too small either. As for the entree, I don't remember the name, but it was very flavorful and the tomatoes which accompanied it were perfectly grilled. I wasn't a huge fan of the entree...it reminded me of the texture of deli roast beef...although I'm sure it was a very good grade of meat. I think I'll just need to try a different entree when I return. And I definitely will return for some of those stuffed grape leaves!

• Pros: Amazing Dolmas!
• Cons: Huge portions and sorta pricey. Would like to see 1/2 entree options.

02/17/08

Don't miss Cafe Istanbul

by janeflash

My husband and I stumbled onto Cafe Istanbul this summer and were looking forward to returning.

This second time we had 3 adults and a baby. Since it was Valentine's Day, we made reservations.

We were thrilled that we were able to get a table and that they didn't change the menu for 2/14.

We had absolutely delicious house wine, hummus with straight from the oven warm flat bed.

The lamb and chicken dishes were just right. The pear dessert and baklava were delightful. Very attentive service. We hope to return often.

• Pros: Service, Fresh food
• Cons: none

Inwood Village Shopping Center gem offers wallet-friendly Mediterranean cuisine plus belly dancing.

by Contributor

In Short
This local favorite is convenient to the nearby historic Inwood Theatre. Owned by a chef who maintains another restaurant in Turkey, Cafe Istanbul's landmark Aegean-blue awning signals the entry to an antique-filled example of Ottoman culture, blending ornate with cozy. Antiques, photos of old Istanbul and a bevy of copper kitchen tools make conversation easy until table talk turns to seasoned dishes such as iskender kebap (beef and lamb) or tavuk sis kebap (skewered chicken).