Turkish delight

GINA DAUGHERTY | CIN WEEKLY

Patrick Cua of the Philippines (left), John Donaldson of Clifton (center), and Franklin Lim of Symmes Township enjoy their dinner on the outdoor patio at Café Istanbul at Newport on the Levee. (Photo by Leigh Patton/CiN Weekly)

JUST THE FACTS

WHAT: Café Istanbul

WHEN: Open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

WHERE: Newport on the Levee (near valet parking), Newport

PRICE: Sandwiches $6.25 to $6.75; dinners $10.75 to $14.25

PARKING: Do the valet for $7 and walk right up; or park in the Levee garage, usually $3.

CONTACT: (859) 581-1777 or www.cafeistanbul.com

Café Istanbul at Newport on the Levee is ethnic food at its finest. In an upscale casual environment, you can enjoy fine Turkish cuisine served by an attentive and professional wait-staff.

ATMOSPHERE

This is the perfect time of year to enjoy Café Istanbul's charming outdoor dining area, where valets nearby park Lamborghinis, Lotuses and classic Ford Fairlanes for Levee patrons to ogle. Well-dressed Levee patrons also stroll by on their way to the movies and shopping, giving the outdoor cafe a streetscape feel without the noise.

But inside is where Café Istanbul shows off. Adorned with thick carpets, large chandeliers hung from high ceilings and woven wall-hangings, the restaurant sparkles under the casually dim lighting.

TASTE TEST

The food is every bit deserving of the fine surroundings and decorative presentation.

My dining partner and I started off with the hummus ($3.95) on the list of cold appetizers (there is also a list of hot appetizers). It was served with the restaurant's thicker-than-normal pita bread, with just a hint of garlic in the thick hummus.

Our entrees were even better. I mixed it up with the grilled adana (seasoned ground beef and lamb) and chicken kebab ($11.95), served with white rice and green beans, as well as a grilled tomato and green pepper. My dining partner opted for the chicken kebab, also served with rice, green beans and a few mixed vegetables.

The chicken is tender and juicy, still coated a bit with its marinade, and the seasoned ground lamb and beef is perfectly cooked and tender. Café Istanbul doesn't overdo it on the rice as some restaurants do. There's a portion of fluffy rice to enjoy with the meal, the green beans are nicely seasoned and the vegetables are fresh off the grill.

In addition to the chicken, beef and lamb selections, with and without yogurt, Café Istanbul also has salads ($5.95 and under), as well as sandwiches ($6.75 and under) and vegetarian dishes such as baked eggplant ($10.95), mixed veggie grill and vegetarian okra stew ($10.25 each).

DESSERT DISH

Who can resist baklava at $3.75? The flaky pastry layers stuffed with crushed pistachios and served with syrup are delicious. Or try the reveani, a type of sweet cake, or rice pudding, called sutlac, all $3.25.

For an evening of fine casual dining, we dropped $38.11 not including tip.

Even if you've never tried Turkish food, you are sure to enjoy the options at Café Istanbul.

What to order if:

You're a vegetarian - Start out with the hummus ($3.95). With just a hint of garlic and lemon juice, the hummus portion will easily feed you and another guest (or two), and it comes with a thick pita bread.

Or opt for the stuffed eggplant, with sautéed onions, red bell peppers, tomatoes, herbs, currants and pine nuts for $5.45.

You're a first timer who wants a taste of it all - The mixed grill choices are where you want to look. You can try any number of combinations with seasoned ground beef, lamb, chicken and lamb chops starting at $11.95 and going up to $13.95.

You want fish - Choose from two: the shrimp ($16.25) or the broiled salmon ($15.95).

You want lunch or sandwich portions - Café Istanbul's sandwiches are essentially the entrees only on thick pita bread. If you want less, opt for the sandwich selections, which also come in combinations of lamb, chicken, beef or hummus. Sandwiches are $6.25 except for the shish kebab sandwich, which is $6.75.