Ottoman Taverna
Flatbread with Sesame Seeds – Butter and Tomato-Pepper Spread
Confit Garlic Hummus – Chickpea Spread, Garlic, Paprika Oil, Crispy Chickpeas and Pita Chips
Imam Bayildi – Eggplant, Tomato, Onion, Basil Oil
Doner Sandwich – Crispy Beef and Lamb Doner Kebab, Tomato, Lettuce, Spiced Onion, Yogurt Sauce with Fries
Falafel Sandwich – Chickpea Fritters, Pickled Cabbage, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Yogurt and Dill Sauce with Fries
Sutlac – Oven Baked Rice Pudding, Cinnamon
Kunefe – Crispy Kadayif Pastry, Anise Syrup, Crumbled Pistachio
Awarded Bib Gourmand status in the most recent Michelin Guide, a designation promising a good meal for a fair price, Ottoman Taverna figured into this year’s Washington DC dining agenda as lunch on Thursday, the sizable Bar and Restaurant clearly not your average mom n’ pop ‘Mediterranean’ spot based on both location and design.
Taking cues from the centuries-long Empire and their distinctive cuisine influenced by region and tradition as well as those conquered along the way, Ottoman Taverna opened in mid-2016 as an ode to restaurateur Hakan Ilhan’s Turkish roots and hiring Istanbul-native Ilhan Erkek to head up the kitchen there was little left to question in terms of “authenticity,” a rarity in the era of fusion and misguided “cultural appropriation” claims.
Found on I Street Northwest near the Mount Vernon Triangle, the interior spanning over 150-seats covered in brown leather laid out amidst laser-cut dividers textured surfaces, Evil Eyes and an open kitchen, guests entering Ottoman Taverna will find themselves greeted approximately half-way into the Restaurant, the service almost too laid back at times with beverages frequently running empty and tables long-sporting finished plates.
Offering several lunch specials in addition to a wide swath of the dinner menu from 11:00am until 2:45pm daily, the focus on Sandwiches and Cold Appetizers evident but Soups, Salads and a limited number of Entrees also available, it was with complimentary Flatbread from the stone oven that things got underway, the flavor of toasted Sesame Seeds prevalent but not overwhelming whether eaten alone or with Ice cold Butter and spicy Tomato-Pepper Spread.
Predictably offering Hummus alongside several other Meze, the confit Garlic and Paprika Oil imbuing pureed Chickpeas and Olive Oil with lots of flavor while crispy Chickpeas dialed up texture, another dish titled “Imam Bayildi” unfortunately left a lot to be desired in terms of consistency, the hulled-out Eggplant filled with a slimy heterogeneous substance pungent with Onions amidst a lot of murky liquid.
Unaware of the enormous portion sizes, and uninformed by staff who seemed far more interested in a table of men dressed in suits speaking to servers in their native tongue, it was after several minutes waiting that first-course plates were collected and entrees dropped, each Sandwich and mountain of crispy Fries enough to feed two hungry adults with the combination of Beef and Lamb slightly dry on its own though better with toppings while the pressed Falafel was heavy but nicely spiced with plenty Garlic, Cumin and Pepper.
Impressed by the kitchen staff working a large stone oven with a custom copper hood, the piece imported from Turkey probably more pricey than many entire Restaurants serving similar food, it was from that very oven that two Desserts emerged after several minutes, the “Sutlac” a pasty version of Rice Pudding that was more savory than sweet while the oft-praised Kunefe was far better with strings of crispy Kadayif soaked in Anise Syrup, without a doubt the highlight of a nearly $90 meal when accounting for tip, tax and leftovers taken home with a 5-cent “Bag Fee.”
http://www.ottomantaverna.com
