Nestled in a quiet corner of Tribeca, the restaurant Turks and Frogs (so named for its exemplary Turkish cuisine as well as the fact that the owners once sold French antiques) was not so long ago “discovered” by Daily Candy, and thereafter, slammed – so much so that people lined the street waiting for a table.
A recent summer Saturday afternoon, however, found the establishment calm and quiet, with only two tables occupied – and the resultant meal was as relaxing as a languorous afternoon on the Bosphorus.
Housed in a former stonemason’s studio and furnished with a variety of Turkish and French antiques, amongst them ancient olive oil pots, and with the noon-day sun splashing across the wood floors, Turks and Frogs creates an ambience both homey and esoteric. Turkish wines punctuate the wine list, and the huge tray of cold meze that the waiter obligingly brings around to each table includes staples such as grape leaves, taramasala, and bean salads, but also lebni, the walnut and yogurt confection, and several kinds of eggplant, all delicious. There’s also a salad called coban which is piquant and refreshing, and phyllo scrolls, crispy and golden brown, oozing herbed feta. And all served with a warm Turkish bread which begs to be dipped: into the olive oil, the hummus, and the perfectly-balanced lemony dressing drizzled over the salad.
To finish, order Turkish coffee, and once you’ve reached the sludge at the bottom, flip over your cup and let the sludge run down for a few minutes. Once time has passed, flip the cup back over and read your future into the grounds which have dried along the cup’s sides. Who knows what you might see – perhaps a boat sailing you through the Bosphorus, leaving one world behind for another.
LINK: Turks and Frogs
