Place: Turks & Frogs Tribeca
Location: 458 Greenwich St. near Desbrosses St.
The occasion: Searching for a good Turkish restaurant in the new hood
The setting: The former stonemason’s studio is given warmth and an eclectic personality with a smattering of French and Turkish antiques at every turn.
The food: Having massive Turkish food withdrawals thanks to the Upper East Side’s yummy Beyoglu, Ivan and I set out to find a replacement closer to our new Fidi apartment. We had hoped we had found it with a short, 10-minute walk to Tribeca’s Turks & Frogs, a cozy red-hued bar and restaurant that seats 60 and has over 80 varieties of wine. But sadly, the food didn’t live up to the décor.
While the crystal chandeliers, antique lamps and paintings were beautiful, the fylo rolls tasted more like a salt lick—I’ve never had such salty feta in all my life. And this is coming from a saltaholic! The chicken kabob was served over soggy croutons with two mushy grilled green peppers and two lackluster grilled tomatoes. With the lighting so dim, it was hard to tell whether I had bread or chicken on my fork. And more often than not, it was bread. The portion size was small and favoring carbs over protein.
I wouldn’t recommend eating here, but it is the perfect spot for a quiet night of drinks, where you can emerse yourself in good wine and conversation, while taking in the lovely sights of an era gone by.
