The Order:
We’ve been doing this weekly feature for almost three months now and while there’s no chance that we’ll run out of restaurants any time soon, we are a little closer to repeating cuisines (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But that day has not come yet, thanks this week to Ali Baba, a Turkish delight serving tasty lunch specials. And make no mistake, if you are ordering from here for lunch, the special is a must, letting you choose one each from any of 13 appetizers and 12 entrees.
Of course even with all those choices we almost chose the same thing, but in the end, AnnMarie decided on Lentil Soup and Chicken Adana, while I went for the Eggplant with Sauce and the Shish Kebab.
The Meal:
Wow. When the food arrived, we definitely got more than we bargained for…in a good way. In addition to our appetizers and entrees, there were two huge pieces of amazing Turkish bread and two salads. It’s a good thing not every restaurant gives so much food or else who knows what AnnMarie and I might look like.
I have mentioned my penchant for eggplant cravings before, so it wasn’t big surprise that I chose the Eggplant with Sauce appetizer. This was really more like an eggplant salad of sorts and it was excellent. You could eat it straight, but it was really perfect as a topping for the bread. And speaking of the bread, it was soft and flavorful, far superior to most bread you get with delivery orders. A great complement to the meal. The Shish Kebab entree had large and tender lamb cubes, along with well-seasoned rice. The meager veggies weren’t all that, but with everything else I had to eat, I didn’t really care.
AnnMarie also loved the bread and she had the pleasure of dipping it in her Lentil Soup. Lucky girl. The soup was nicely spiced and plenty large, which meant that her salad became a leftover for someone else in the office. She had to make sure to save room for her Chicken Adana entree, which finished off a well-balanced meal.
A Turkish power lunchWe both thought Ali Baba had very good food and a reasonably priced lunch special with enormous portions. We’ll definitely be ordering from Ali Baba again.
FYI – We’re located near Bryant Park in case you want to try Ali Baba for yourself or give us recommendations for future orders!