Istanbul Mediterranean Grill in Agawam brings a new dining experience — Turkish cuisine — to Western Massachusetts.
It’s a style of cookery that’s clearly derivative of Mediterranean tradition, seeming more dialect than separate language, gastronomically speaking. Lamb, yogurt, cheese, eggplant, and various nutmeats are commonly encountered ingredients, while herbs like mint, oregano, and parsley play important flavoring roles.
Open since early this year, Istanbul Mediterranean Grill offers an attractive dining environment — linen, plenty of booths, generously spaced layout.
The menu is extensive, listing dozens of different appetizers, main dishes, and combination plates.
Entrees include a large selection of “kebabs” (grilled items), such as Adana Kebab (seasoned ground lamb — $14.95), Tavuk Sote (sauteed chicken in wine cream sauce – $11.95), Chicken Shish Kebab ($11.95), and Istanbul Sauteed Shrimp ($17.95).
Vegetarian specialties like Bamya (sauteed okra –$11.95), Vegetable Musakka ($9.95), and a Falafel Dinner ($8.95) are available as well.
Mezze (small dishes) are important to most Near Eastern cuisines, and Istanbul Mediterranean Grill features a large selection of both hot and cold mezze options.
These include Humus ($4.95), Haydari (thick yogurt flavored with garlic and dill — $4.95), Cacik (cold cucumber soup — $4.95), and Kalamar Tava (fried calamari with garlic walnut sauce — $7.95).
Various salads and soups round out the menu roster.
We started our meal with an order of Sigara Boregi ($7.95), fat, spring-roll-style rollups stuffed with a tangy mixture of feta cheese, parsley, and dill.
The four-roll portion was large enough for sharing, and the contrast of fried yufka pastry (a thicker version of phyllo) and creamy filling made for a pleasure introduction to what followed.
Lamb Shish ($16.95), one of the menu’s “kekab” selections, reminded us of a traditional shish kebab deconstructed, with tender lamb cubes served over rice and a grilled green pepper and half tomato plated alongside.
The lamb had been lightly seasoned before being broiled; the meat was pleasingly moist with a subtle spice presence.
Two different rice variations, a pilaf and a spiced rice inhabited the plate, as did grated carrot, a raw onion relish, and shredded, lightly pickled red cabbage slaw.
The portion was generous to a fault — much more than we were able to finish.
Lahmacun (flatbread) is a Levantine cousin of pizza, consisting of a thin crust covered with toppings like spiced meats, minced vegetables, or cheeses.
Istanbul Mediterranean Grill offers variations topped with sucuk (cured sausage), ground beef, and spinach; we decided to try Peynirli Pide (cheese pie — $9.95).
Structurally a cross between a pizza and a calzone, the “pie” was topped with kashar (a cheese akin to mild cheddar).
The crust was tender yet crisp; garnished with black and white sesame seeds, it worked together with the cheese filling in a way we found much to our liking.
A garnish of lettuce and sliced tomatoes lent color to the plate.
Istanbul isn’t licensed, but welcomes patrons who “bring their own.” An assortment of non-alcoholic drinks is available, including Turkish favorites like Ayran (cold yogurt beverage — $2.50).
In addition to featuring Turkish-style Baklava ($5.95), which is less sweet than the Greek version, Istanbul offers several other traditional Turkish desserts.
Made with shredded filo, Kunfee ($7.95) is a flat, oven-baked “cake” stuffed with a layer of mozzarella, drizzled with fragrant syrup, and dusted with minced pistachios.
Served warm, it was a dessert creation than won us over with the first forkful.
We’re not usually enamored of rice pudding, liking neither its bland character nor grainy texture.
Sutlac ($4.95), Istanbul’s Turkish-style rice pudding, made us into converts, however. We loved its soft, creamy texture and luscious vanilla flavor.
Both desserts, we found, were paired up perfectly with cups of strong, espresso-like Turkish Coffee ($2.80).
At lunch Istanbul Mediterranean Grill offers a selection of sandwiches and wraps, all of which are priced at $7.95. Ten or so luncheon combination plates are also available weekdays until 3 p.m.
Name: Istanbul Mediterranean Grill
Address: 365 Walnut Street Extension, Agawam
Phone: (413) 786-0141
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Entree Prices: $8.95 – $18.95
Credit Cards: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped Access: Accessible, with rest rooms equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Not normally taken
via Restaurant review: Istanbul Mediterranean Grill in Agawam | masslive.com.
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