Akdeniz 12-29-2011

Location: 19 W. 46th St.

Time: 12:30pm

People: JR and myself

Feelings: Virgo's characteristics: Independent, analytical, organized, cold and fussy. It is hard living as a Virgo. I am constantly trapped in a mental cage and just cannot ever let myself go. If something is not perfect, I get irritated and must fix it immediately or completely abandon it. My old friend JR, a fellow Virgo, understands how insanely fastidious we can be. We often discuss this over lunch and have a good laugh about it.

Today, JR and I met up at a Turkish restaurant, Akdeniz in Little Brazil row in Midtown. The restaurant was packed with tired office workers and cheerful holiday tourists. Don't let the hall-in-the wall vibe of the restaurant fool you. The prices here are not cheap by any means. I ordered humus ($6.50) and lebni ($6.50, thick home made yogurt with walnuts, mint and dill), which were both smooth and creamy but utterly overpriced. I am spoiled by all the amazing yet reasonable places on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, so paying $6.50 for a small plate of hummus does not sound like a good value. But the smoothness of hummus and yogurt went perfectly with their crispy bread, so I forgave the inflated prices.

Unlike my cold appetizers, JR's Greek salad ($8.95, grape leaves, olives, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, feta cheese and olive oil) was a great deal. With tons of cheese, it is something even non salad eaters would enjoy.

Since there aren't many Middle Eastern sit down restaurants in Midtown West, Akdeniz is a solid option for lunch. It is your standard Middle Eastern fare with good service, and if you avoid pricey entrees ($15 and up), you can enjoy salads and various tasty appetizers without spending too much. Overall, it was perfectly acceptable for two finicky Virgos in Midtown.

MMM...Enfes @ Columbus Circle Holiday Market 12-06-2011

Location: Columbus Circle

Time: 12pm

Feelings: When I was a little girl in Osaka, after monthly orthodontic appointment, my mother took me for a nice stroll in the city followed with a rather high end cafe for a plate of hot cakes and a glass of freshly squeezed juice. She must have felt bad that I was enduring agonizing pain, so the expensive plate of fluffy cakes and refreshing juice became a consolation prize.

This ritual has stayed with me to this day-- after my dental appointment, I took a nice stroll on Central Park South. Unfortunately I could not afford an expensive cafe brunch, but I did happen upon a festive scene at Columbus Circle Holiday Market.

There were plenty of great food options: empanadas, apple cider donuts, Wafels & Dinges, Bratwurst and Red Basil Thai Kitchen from Astoria. MMM..Enfes, a booth with Turkish pastries especially caught my eye. It seemed to catch the eyes of many men as well since there was a line of men drooling over their pastries and fetching booth lady. One guy was eagerly asking her, "What is Baklava?" C'mon, this UWS type must certainly have known what baklava ($1.50 each) was, especially since he pronounced it perfectly.

RB and I used to enjoy gul bourek almost every week when we lived in Astoria, so I, only female in line, craved a feta gul bourek ($6) and ordered one without hesitation. Since they re-heated it with oil on the grill, it was a bit greasy but overall delicious and filling. Their gul bourek is not bread-y by any means--it is all about juicy spinach and feta cheese. The dough was soft and slightly flaky, gently supporting all the ample inside. Overall it was incredibly soft and all gently melted in my mouth.

Although I don't have any more dental appointments the rest of the year, I hope to head back to the holiday market soon and try the Thai food from Astoria.

Döner in Williamsburg! 06-24-2009

Location: 189 Bedford Ave. b/w 6th and 7th St.
Time: 6:30pm
People: JLam from mesohungry, RB and myself

Feelings: As we were walking on Bedford, I saw a sign said, "Döner Turkish Food" on a storefront. Döner, the European fast food favorite, is something you don't see very often around New York. Gyros are more of American favorite..until now!

It turns out this particular Döner shop was only open for five hours when we walked through the door. Feeling quite special, I ordered zucchini pancake döner ($4) while RB and JLam ordered the traditional lamb döner ($5). Along with delicious zucchini pancakes, fresh vegetables and sauce were filled in soft flatbread. The lamb döner was flavorful and over-packed with meat. All our döners were tasty and filling, and this would be perfect cart food for the lunch crowds as well as late night snacks.

RB reluctantly said "It's just like gyro on a pita." But I am a firm believer of döner over gyro. It's easier to eat, and I like that fixings are stuffed inside of flatbread like hummus sandwich. It is hard to walk around with gyro in your hand, but döner is easily portable. It is a perfect addition to Bedford Avenue.