Lexington’s Colonial Times Magazine | DINE

EXCEPTIONAL TURKISH DINE

Engina~Artichoke Heart Appetizer

Café Mangal Mehmet Ozargun in his WELLESLEY At Café Mangal in Wellesley mustard and house vinaigrette. preparation and service is a family art that The mid-day includes 16 dates back to the 1800s in Turkey. Berna sandwich choices. Twelve Specials on the STORY AND PHOTOS Ozargun, co-owner with her son, Mehmer, Mid-day Menu include Prosciutto di Parma is the welcoming hostess who makes every sandwich with white truffle oil, goat cheese, by Deirdre Niemann guest feel like one of the family. Mehmer, figs and baby arugula, and Couscous Salad Chef of the House, creates unique and with smoked trout,, grapes, French beans, extraordinary dishes that tantalize the palate cucumber and mint vinaigrette. with new taste sensations. His father’s great As guests, we were invited to great-grandfather, Hasan Bey, is famous as 555 Washington St. sample freely f r o m Pastrima with Cheese founder of the famous Karakoy Bakery in Wellesley, MA 02482 t h e Istanbul. 781-235-5322 Lamb, the favored meat in Mediterranean Turkey is one of 17 countries, comes in many styles on the Café Mediterranean countries that Hours: Mangal menu. We selected Australian Rack share a rich culinary heritage : Mon. – Sat., 11 – 3:30 of Lamb with pomegranate, cumin, thyme from their Central Asian and poached figs served with garlic mashed Dinner: Wed. – Thurs., 6 - 9 roots to refinement under potatoes, a splendid combination of flavors. Fri. & Sat., 6 - 9:30 the Ottoman Empire. Our Hostessrecommended one of the House Café Mangal in Wellesley menu. Specials, Chicken Breast Dardanelle, We Reservations required pleases patrons with many O u r selected it with pleasure. It combined unique menu offerings that succulent pieces of chicken breast baked in a combine some American Chicken Breast casserole with artichokes, tomato, feta, olives, favorites such as lamb, chicken Dardanelle served scallions, oregano and extra virgin olive oil, for Turkish style. and seafood with Mediterranean succulence at its best. fruits, vegetables and seasonings hostess, Ayse Berna For we followed the advice of that set them apart. Its Aegean Sea Bass, Ozargun, made our attractive Turkish waitress, Gul Behceci, grilled and served whole, is flown in daily suggestions and and chose the Homemade Walnut . It from Greece. The Halloumi Cheese filling we followed her lead into a unique and was light and delicious, sweetened with sugar for Pastrima, a thin air-dried beef wrap is extraordinary dining experience. From the rather than honey. It was a perfect finish, from Cyprus. Plates, cold appetizers, we selected complemented by cups of sweetened Turkish Engina , artichoke hearts braised in olive oil The day at Café Mangal begins at 11:00 coffee served demitasse-style in beautiful and lemon juice, topped with garden peas, am, with and Lunch The menu hand-painted porcelain cups. includes Light choices, Soup, onions and diced carrots, and Café Mangal is a small that Salads, Sandwiches and Specials. A Light Saksuka, mixed with conveys real charm. The walls are decorated Breakfast Turkish Style includes feta cheese, green peppers, tomatoes and garlic with colorful Turkish scarves and paintings kaser cheese, hard boiled egg, soujouk (beef for a real taste thrill. Both were front court of rural Turkish scenes. Every guest feels like pepperoni), tomatoes, jam, butter, black appetizers. Our hot appetizer, the Pastrima family at Café Mangal. After our dinner Chef Baklava with .tif olives, cucumber slices and organic dried with Hallomi Cheese, showcased cheese Mehmet came out to talk with us at our table apricots. From nine soup choices one might wrapped bite-sized with thin air-dried, cured and then stopped by other tables as well to select Hungarian Mushroom. Salad choices beef slices, each rollup tied like a gift with a talk with guests who had enjoyed one of his include Avocado Tuna Salad with red onion, green scallion. Delicious. capers and sprouts and Pear and Goat Cheese delicious . The motto of Café Mangal is Salad with toasted pumpkin seeds, honey “Smile, Serve and Share”.