For a change, we didn’t need to get up and bring our food. We sat in the banquet hall being served cold mezze watching the three dervishes perform their Sufi-inspired ritual accompanied with soft live music on traditional instruments.
The food is Turkish and if you are looking for the omnipresent hummous, this is not the place to be. But you shall be amply satisfied scooping up Tulum cheese with Turkish pide bread. Tahini, tomato salads, grape molasses, honey and cream, nuts, dates, pastrami and stuffed vine leaves covered most of our plate to start with. Cleanse your palate with some hot tea and feel the energy of the performers, while waiting for your next course to be served.
No Ramadan menu can be served without a lentil soup. This was quite ordinary but quickly followed by su boregi, a Turkish cheese pie, which was flaky and creamy, yet light.
The choices for main were tempting. Served with burghul, instead of rice, each portion was generous. Both the chicken skewer and urfa (beef) kebab we ordered were succulent and flavourful. We also tried the beans casserole with pastrami. This is bound to remind you of cold winter nights, eating home-cooked food.
Sweets were out of the question by this time though a variety, including rice pudding, baklava and more is definitely worth trying.
The price is steep considering other iftars around town, but the comfort of being served is worth it along with the performance by dancing dervishes.
*Dh250. Iftar is served till 9pm. Call 04-4575454.
