It was Saturday night, I worked, didn't feel like cooking or doing laundry so I called a fellow foodie and suggested dinner. I needed a partner in crime and someone I could vent to after a long week.
I had a couple of Groupons, but sadly one place was closed for a private party and the other seemed to have shut down.
Where do we go? We wanted some where that had parking and wouldn't be too busy, so downtown was out. Wait, there's Turkish food in Bells Corners! Off to Topkapi we went!
Neither one of us had eaten all day so we were famished. When we arrived the restaurant was full. There were only 2 tables of 2 left. Perfect timing because shortly afterwards it was packed and they were turning people away asking them to come back in an hour.
To start we ordered the Topkapi Mezeleri or mixed appetizer platter. It comes with warm pita bread. The platter consists of a spicy dip, a stuffed vine leaf, feta cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and pickled cabbage for garnish, hummous, a vegetable dip, a pressed yogurt and dill dip, a stuffed pepper and some hot peppers. It's a fairly large sharing plate which we managed to polish off fairly quickly leaving little room for the main course! This plate would be more than generous enough as an appetizer to feed 4! I guess we were hungry. Lol
For the main course we ordered the Karisik Izgara or dinner for 2. It was a large platter very elegantly served in a covered caserole dish. The platter comes piled high with lamb chops, a chicken kabob, a lamb kabob and 2 ground beef koftas. Along with the meat is a generous portion of rice, potatoes and mixed vegetables. We both have very healthy appetites, but couldn't finish everything. It was a mistake to order another basket of pita bread, but it was so good! There was more than enough left for another full plate. My children ate it as a midnight snack.
Interestingly enough, they had live entertainment that night. On weekends they have a belly dancer. My date was quite pleased. At one point his mind was somewhere else and he didn't hear a thing I said. I was happy he was enjoying himself.
As stuffed as we were, we had to order their signature dessert. You have to be patient as it takes 20 minutes to prepare. It is made fresh to order and served warm with a delicious rose water syrup. The kunefe is made with cheese and shredded pastry, then topped with a bit of syrup and chopped pistacchios. Waiting for it gave a chance to digest and make some room in our stomachs. My date insisted he wasn't going to have any dessert, but after one taste he was hooked. He'd never had a dessert like this and absolutely loved it. Good thing cause I was full and wouldn't have been able to eat it all myself. Besides, if I was going to burst at the seams, so was he!
If you want a different dining experience, Topkapi is for you. The servers are attentive and the food didn't take too long. Keep in mind most of the items on the menu are made to order. I love how the food is served. The tables are set with charger plates and each course comes out on its own plate which is set onto the charger plate. It limits the realestate on the table, especially the tables for 2, but it adds to the dining experience. When the main courses come out, they usually come in an intricately carved silver serving casserole with a lid and the servers wear gloves.
Given the size of the portions, the price is well worth it. For 2 the cost is around $100.00 for dinner not including drinks. Definitely on the higher side, but most items are made in house with items you won't find anywhere else. The free entertainment on the weekend is a bonus. I'll definitely keep going back. This is one of my top 10 favourite restaurants in Ottawa.
Give it a try!
Carm the Foodie
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