Is Efes Turkish Cuisine the Best Restaurant in Halifax We've Tried So Far?
Efes Turkish Cuisine - Meze and Kebab House - October 13, 2018
As you can probably see if you've read our earlier reviews, we're really into foods that do not originate from Canada. So much so, that every week it seems we're craving for different ethnic cuisine. This past week was no different, as we had are hearts set on some Turkish food and we had heard a lot of good things about Efes.
One reason that we love going out for cuisines like Turkish food, is that it's something, no matter how hard we try, we could never replicate to the same quality at home. Between Nasil and I, we can make some pretty decent Italian, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Spanish, American, Indian dishes, but Turkish or Persian foods, forget about it. There are a lots reasons for this, but this blog isn't about us making food, it's about us eating food.
Efes is located at the very end of Spring Garden Rd. just before you hit Robie St. The restaurant, formerly known as Cafe Istanbul, is owned and run by George Sumeli who has been serving in Turkish cuisine in one way or another for decades in the HRM. The restaurant itself is quite small, but what it lacks in size, it makes up in decor (and food, but we'll get to that later.) The interior in one word is: beautiful. From the amazing mural on the wall portraying Istanbul, to the mosaic Ottoman lamps hanging from the ceiling, this place certainly has it's charm.
Upon arrival we were warmly greeted by our server, and her wonderful service carried on from there. We quickly got our drinks and she took our order right away. She was also super helpful in suggesting menu options that turned out to be delicious and actually saved us money, from what we were initially going to order. During our meal, we were checked up on a couple times, and when our beverages were low, she was quick to come by and ask if we'd like refills. I don't usually like to talk about how much of a tip we leave upon finishing our meals, but for the level of service we received, we decided a nice 25% tip was well deserved.
On to the food.
To start Nasil and I ordered the Special Meze Plate, which usually consists of Middle Eastern / Mediterranean appetizers. On our plate we received hummas, eggplant saute, spinich tatator, red pepper puree, a dolma, a lentil kofte, cacik, a cheese borek, and a decent amount of pita bread. If you're not sure what half of these appies are, you're just like us. for more info check out the picture of the menu or go to Efes' website (http://www.efesturkishcuisin.com/). Regardless of our unfamiliarity with some of the dips on this plate, they were all delicious. I actually usually don't like eggplant all that much, but the eggplant saute was probably my favorite appetizer on this plate. The Special Meze Plate comes for a very reasonable $10 (.75$ if you want more pita bread), and Nasil and I decided if we were in the area again sometime, we'd stop by solely for this array of appetizers and a drink or two.
For an entree, Nasil and decided to share the Set Menu, which included our appetizer, mixed kebabs (Kofte Kebab, Chicken Kebab and Beyti kabab) served on rice with roasted veggies, and a Mediterranean salad. Also included in this set deal was dessert (baklava) and Turkish coffee. The price for this bounty of food (which is definitely enough for two hungry people) just $33. Not only is this an economic choice, it's also a very tasty choice. The rice was light and flavorful, the kebab (especially the chicken kebab) was cooked to perfection, and the veggies and salad nicely rounded out the meal. Such a great diversity of flavors in one meal combined with a great price make this place a winner in our minds. Throw in a very sweet baklava with a bitter Turkish coffee, and you really can't go wrong ordering the same dinner as we did.
One interesting note about our evening at Efes that we couldn't figure out, given the service and food we received, was that besides us and a couple of other people, the place was almost empty. Given that it was a Saturday night and that the Nocturne festival was happening that evening, we expected the place to be bumping. So much so, that we made reservations ahead of time. It would be a shame if this place went out of business, given that it was one of the best meals we have had in the city so far. If you're reading this and in the Halifax area, I strongly urge you to check out Efes, as I'm fairly certain you'll love it.
As you can probably see if you've read our earlier reviews, we're really into foods that do not originate from Canada. So much so, that every week it seems we're craving for different ethnic cuisine. This past week was no different, as we had are hearts set on some Turkish food and we had heard a lot of good things about Efes.
Efes is located at the very end of Spring Garden Rd. just before you hit Robie St. The restaurant, formerly known as Cafe Istanbul, is owned and run by George Sumeli who has been serving in Turkish cuisine in one way or another for decades in the HRM. The restaurant itself is quite small, but what it lacks in size, it makes up in decor (and food, but we'll get to that later.) The interior in one word is: beautiful. From the amazing mural on the wall portraying Istanbul, to the mosaic Ottoman lamps hanging from the ceiling, this place certainly has it's charm.
Upon arrival we were warmly greeted by our server, and her wonderful service carried on from there. We quickly got our drinks and she took our order right away. She was also super helpful in suggesting menu options that turned out to be delicious and actually saved us money, from what we were initially going to order. During our meal, we were checked up on a couple times, and when our beverages were low, she was quick to come by and ask if we'd like refills. I don't usually like to talk about how much of a tip we leave upon finishing our meals, but for the level of service we received, we decided a nice 25% tip was well deserved.On to the food.
To start Nasil and I ordered the Special Meze Plate, which usually consists of Middle Eastern / Mediterranean appetizers. On our plate we received hummas, eggplant saute, spinich tatator, red pepper puree, a dolma, a lentil kofte, cacik, a cheese borek, and a decent amount of pita bread. If you're not sure what half of these appies are, you're just like us. for more info check out the picture of the menu or go to Efes' website (http://www.efesturkishcuisin.com/). Regardless of our unfamiliarity with some of the dips on this plate, they were all delicious. I actually usually don't like eggplant all that much, but the eggplant saute was probably my favorite appetizer on this plate. The Special Meze Plate comes for a very reasonable $10 (.75$ if you want more pita bread), and Nasil and I decided if we were in the area again sometime, we'd stop by solely for this array of appetizers and a drink or two.
For an entree, Nasil and decided to share the Set Menu, which included our appetizer, mixed kebabs (Kofte Kebab, Chicken Kebab and Beyti kabab) served on rice with roasted veggies, and a Mediterranean salad. Also included in this set deal was dessert (baklava) and Turkish coffee. The price for this bounty of food (which is definitely enough for two hungry people) just $33. Not only is this an economic choice, it's also a very tasty choice. The rice was light and flavorful, the kebab (especially the chicken kebab) was cooked to perfection, and the veggies and salad nicely rounded out the meal. Such a great diversity of flavors in one meal combined with a great price make this place a winner in our minds. Throw in a very sweet baklava with a bitter Turkish coffee, and you really can't go wrong ordering the same dinner as we did.
One interesting note about our evening at Efes that we couldn't figure out, given the service and food we received, was that besides us and a couple of other people, the place was almost empty. Given that it was a Saturday night and that the Nocturne festival was happening that evening, we expected the place to be bumping. So much so, that we made reservations ahead of time. It would be a shame if this place went out of business, given that it was one of the best meals we have had in the city so far. If you're reading this and in the Halifax area, I strongly urge you to check out Efes, as I'm fairly certain you'll love it.
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