Cafe Istanbul

by Grant L.

Mojo factor:Tex Mex, Burgers, Steak and endless chains of Sushi houses are all fantastic however these taste need an occasional wake up call with some erotically exotic middle eastern food.Legacy Shops Northside latest addition of culinary hang outs is Café Istanbul. Finalising my desire avoid a potential DUI and to never have to leave my zip code.The diverse menu is rich with choices that are not only tasty but also hellishly good for you.  If you don't know what you want then the staff will happily whip up a sampler plate of appetizersWho would've thunk that mint, parsley and smoshed up chickpeas could taste so damn good.  This is also a great venue for satisfying a lamb craving too.  That's right Lamb in the great state of Texas ... brilliant.When you've finished dinning like the sultan of decadence, save space for deserts.  I had the Armut Tatalisi ; Pears stuffed with Walnuts mmMMmmm.Don't forget to top that off by slamming down a couple of shots of Raki (Ouzo and Sambuca is for wimps - Raki is where it is at).  The bar staff like to try and tip you over with his stuff.  Bring it!Wines include Californian, French (and god bless them) some of my New Zealand favs are there too.The staff had a little screw up with my last meal, and with no prodding required it was promptly replaced - fresh... I dig places who like looking after customers.  Props Waitress chick - (it was her first day on the job - I think I frightened her)The cultural irony of the maitre d' being armenien was not lost on me, proving that all is fair when it comes to food and drink.Disappointed  that there is NO Turkish delight, who knows praps this is too cliché Whats it good for?The amazing thing about this place, is you can eat yourself crazy WITHOUT blowing the budget. Appetiser around $5 and Entrees $12-15 quaffable vino @ $30 bottle.The surroundings are themed ... well sort of Turkish like, modern and comfy.  There is a great patio area where you observe the drunken antics across the road at Ra, and often there is a street band playing to fil the evening with hopefully a few decent tunes.I didn't notice any Shisha or Hookah pipes but I didn't look too hard.  The Patio would make a great venue for this, however Im certain local by-laws probably prevent the owners from offering this.By last count I think Ive gone back 3 timesGreat choice for the price conscious, first daters might even get a seconds date.  Good place for veggos. Bar Pick-Up value: Move along nothing to see here, but you can monitor the cougar count at Ra.If the food at Samalclar prison was this good Billy Hayes would not have tried so hard to escape.PS Im still waiting for belly dancer night

by Dana A.

Great meal. Had a delicious lamb kabob on top of purred eggplant. My wife's meal was great as well. Wine was reasonably priced which was a plus. Good hummus, too.

by Vinesh K.

I really enjoyed CI's new location at Shops at Legacy. It's much more upscale than their Lover's Lane location but the noise levels are the same :)) - typical Mediterranean feel.....Two things stood out at this location -  1) The Wine List (they have elegant  wine cellar fixtures along the walls) and 2) the bread - it comes balloon shaped and take a pinch of it and you experience a sauna on your face - it is absolutely delicious with the side dips that you could order off the menu. We sampled some mixed kebab platters for the table including fish kebabs - never tried those before but it tasted really good.I highly recommend this place if you have the palate for middle eastern / Mediterranean cuisine but lower your expectations if you looking for authentic Lebanese / middle eastern food

by zambak z.

I am just speechless. But I can type.What a major disappointment. Can not explain it with words. The food that is. Service is good, location is good, decor is good, but food disappointed big time. Comparing this location to the original one in Dallas, is like comparing dumpster smell to the rose blossoms of Bath and Body Works.For those who have ever tasted Iskender Kebap, be prepared for a major surprise if you order it in this restaurant. Because the Iskender that they serve is something else. Beyond imaginable. I had no idea what it was, definitely not from this world.If you decide to order the chicken kebap dishes (we had two in our table that ordered) get ready for the oregano kick of your life. There was more oregano in those plates that I have ever used in all my kebap cookouts in my life. Other friend of mine ordered the lamb kebap, which was medicore at best. And the lahmacun we ordered before our meals, with lots of oil dripping, soft crust, lack of taste is not worth a try as well.After this lovely experience we decided to skip the sweets. I would have prefered to eat some instant noodles to the stuff we ate in this restaurant.

by Elizabeth B.

I've been a couple times now, and think you definitely need to try it out.  It's such a different place compared to every other trendy, uppity place in Shops at Legacy.  I've had several of their appetizers, several types of their pizza, and the mixed grill.  All of it was good, although we go back for the pizzas and appetizers, honestly.  Appetizers I've had that were really good:Acili (Spicy) - Fresh blend of diced tomatoes, bell peppers, parsley, mint leaves, olive oil and garlicBeyaz Penir (Turkish Feta Cheese) - Medium soft brined Turkish feta cheese slices with tomatoes, lettuce and Turkish olives.Every pizza I've tried (most of the ones on their menu) has been really good.Not impressed with the Baklava, though--pieces are tiny and not buttery enough.

by Evan F.

We had a really great meal here.  I can't corroborate the bad stories of the other posters because our food was great the service was better.I actually just got back from the middle east last week and this was on par with what I ate while over there.  There were 4 of us and we ordered a mix of the cold appraisers, hummus, Baba ghanoush, dolmas, etcAll of these were outstanding and came with their fresh flat bread.  For dinner we ordered a variety of different meats, to tell you the truth, I don't recall what they all were, but I liked them all.  Desert included a cold rice pudding and some sort of cake filled with sweet cheese, both were great.While we did order a lot for a party of 4, it was still rather expensive, $30 a person with appetizer, dinner and desert and some drinks.We will go back.