NEW YORK—Women dressed in 13th-century garb dance and play music on a mural on the back wall. Antique oil lamps decorate shelves near the exotic wines towards the front of the restaurant. Candlelight joins the gentle lights overhead.
Like its atmosphere, Seven’s Turkish Grill melds tradition with class. The pleasant ambiance pulls its charm from the days of the Ottoman Empire, a time when cultures and dishes from the East and West came together in the capital city of Constantinople—modern-day Istanbul. Many of the restaurant’s decorations were rare finds from Istanbul bazaars. The music is turned to a comfortable level. You can hear the person across from you, but still gives a safety net against awkward silence.
In the air you may catch the a light smell of fish cooked in herbs and spices, fresh-baked bread, and a touch of floral wine. The dishes are all traditional Turkish recipes, but co-owners Tony Seven and Omar Peker carefully perused the hundreds of Turkish dishes for those that fit the American palate.
“Turkish culture is very rich,” says Seven. “It was from the Ottoman Empire, and it has lots of food—lots of good food.”
Good ingredients are an essential component. They try to only buy organic. The lamb is imported from New Zealand. The bread is baked fresh every day. They prepare everything themselves—none of the food is frozen.
“We never cut corners,” says Seven.
The wine is among their finest points. All their wines are imported from Turkey, and while Turkish wines have yet to hit off in America, they are gaining popularity in Europe. “They are very similar to French wines. The weather climate is the same as southern France,” says Seven. “They don’t have them in New York. We have to bring them specially from Turkey—from Istanbul.”
Seven knows good presentation and good business. Peker knows good food. The long-time friends decided to put their combined talents to good use and founded Seven’s Turkish Grill as business partners.
In the kitchen, Peker cooks up the meals and trains the assistant chefs. Up front, Seven chats with customers and helps add that final touch to the atmosphere: community.
Seven is a strong believer that a restaurant should feel like a home—and bringing people together is an important part of any meal. “I’m an old-fashioned guy. In my family, dinner was very important,” he says, noting that this sense of community around food is even more important in New York, where people often go out for dinner.
“We have some customers who have come since we first opened the restaurant. They’re our friends now,” Seven says. “We have some customers who don’t come here to eat—they come to talk, sometimes they drink, or stop by for tea or coffee. It’s very important. The money in a business, it’s not important sometimes.”
True Turkish Delight
The finesse of Turkish food doesn’t get the attention it deserve. There is a balance of ingredients that gives every flavor a moment on your palate. The food is light, the flavors subtle, yet rich. None of the seasonings overpower the flavor of the food itself—they lend to it, and dance out with each bite.
At Seven’s, the Shrimp Casserole takes the prize, in my book. It smells of light cream, shrimp, and a touch of lemon. When you take a bite, the shrimp gives a nice click, then melts into a medley of creamy herbs, zucchini, and cheese. While the flavor of the cream stands out, it’s not heavy. Peker says he just adds a touch of cream—a traditional method that keeps the meal light while giving it wonderful flavor.
If you’re a meat lover, the Mixed Grill is highly recommended. It’s also a great dish if you’re new to Turkish food and want to give all the different meats a try. The seasoning doesn’t overpower the meats, and instead stays just one step behind to lend to the flavor. The meats are all moist, but not oily; flavorful, but not heavy.
The ground lamb was a personal favorite of the meats. It has a hint of red bell pepper and a touch of onion that balance with the flavor of the meat. The grilled chicken was also very good—tender and with a fresh off the grill flavor. In all, you get adana kebab, shish kebab, doner kebab, lamb chop, and chicken kebab.
The Mixed Grill also comes with the Turkish rice pilaf, with large, soft grains of rice that have almost a buttery flavor, and go perfect with the meats. There are chopped onions on the side if you want some extra flavor, and there’s a big green pepper if you want a kick.
Bread will rarely get much attention, since it’s often just a filler served before a meal. But I think the bread served at Seven’s Turkish Grill deserves it. They bake it fresh, there are no preservatives, and it has a slight flavor from sesame seeds.
If you’re more of a salad person, I recommend the Shepherd’s Salad. It’s a simple mix of chopped cucumber and tomatoes topped with feta cheese and herbs. It’s simple, but don’t brush it off. The mix of ingredients gives it a very complete flavor. The cheese balances out the cucumber and tomatoes. The herbs fill it out. It is crisp and refreshing, and—unlike most salads I’ve had—eating it feels like having a decent meal.
The food leaves you with a pleasant full. You could eat until you couldn’t take another bite, and not feel like collapsing on a couch. It’s the kind of full that makes you want to sit with a nice glass of wine and chat with friends—which is what Seven’s Turkish Grill is all about.
Seven’s Turkish Grill
158 W. 72nd St.
New York, NY 10023
212-724-4700
http://www.seventurkishgrill.com
Open every day 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
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