Ever since my visit to Ephesus in Plano last month I have been craving more Turkish Food.  The flavors were so wonderful and vibrant that anytime someone says "What are you in the mood for?" my immediate response is Turkish!  Well, time does not always allow for the drive to Plano, so a friend recently suggested that we try Café Istanbul.  And I'm glad he did.

Café Istanbul is located in the Inwood Village shopping center at Lovers Lane and Inwood Road in Dallas.  Before we even sat down, I was excited because Café Istanbul has outside patio seating and the day I went there was an unusually cool day, so despite offering an inviting and comfortable dining room, al fresco dining was just the ticket that day!

The food at Café Istanbul was delicious.  We began our meal with the Meze Tabagi which is an appetizer platter.  You can choose 4 items from their cold appetizer selections to create the platter.  We chose their Humus, Kisir (Tabuleh), Acili and Beyaz Penir (Turkish Feta Cheese).  All of these choices were excellent.  They were all fresh and tasty in generous portions for 2 diners and satisfying, but not so filling that they left us too full for our entrées.

For an entrée, I had the Doner Durum, which was described on the menu as "Tenderized beef and lamb layers grilled in the vertical rotisserie, rolled in thin dough and served with yogurt sauce, tomato and cracked wheat (bulgur) pilaf on the side."  My dinner companion opted for the Kuzu Sis Kebap, "Skewered, tender lamb charbroiled with natural charcoal and served with rice, red cabbage and onions."  As with the appetizer, portions were nicely sized, well prepared and delicious. 

The staff were all friendly and attentive and the Turkish wines that we selected with our meal were both very good as well, so if you are looking for an authentic Turkish meal in the Dallas area, now you have 2 great choices and Café Istanbul is one of them!  Give it a try.