mangia: NYC's Turkish fix

Right at the Exit of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, Ali Baba Restaurant is the spot for some delicious authentic Turkish dishes.

They offer all the typical variations of kebab's. The iskender kebab:slices of excellent kebab served over fried pide bread in a tomato sauce and topped with fresh yogurt, their marinated chicken kebab is both importantly-tender and succulent. I had a chicken adana: spicy chicken on a skewer and grilled, because I wanted to cut down and eat as healthy as possible. Try the Yogurtlu Tavuk (Yogurt Chicken). It is really tender grilled chicken over pita with yogurt and tomato sauce over the top. All entrees come with white rice, homemade bread, salad, grilled green peppers, and grilled tomato.

They also offer: lahmacun, a turkish "pizza" made, instead of pizza dough, with flat bread, & topped with ground lamb & garden vegetables. They also offer the kusbasili pide: a thick dough the size of a small torpedo stuffed with spicy chopped baby lamb with peppers and parsley, tasty from the cheese to sausage. As well as Kaskaval: a dill-flavored feta cheese, parsley, eggs, and butter. For Appetizers try the imam bayildi: eggplant stuffed with onions, tomatoes, and spices

I love their Middle Eastern offerings of dips and spreads with puffy bread, and the usual offerings of chops & baklava. I also love baba ghannouj: eggplant dip, they also have deep-fried eggplant with a yogurt sauce, & and eggplant in a nearly spicy sauce of fresh vegetables

I had alot of fun here. It's great for groups or just a meal with a friend. I also tried their famous Turkish coffee. I am looking forward to another trip here with good company!

Neighborhood: Midtown
206 E 34th St. (2nd Ave. & 3rd Ave.)
Subway: 6 @ 33 St
212-683-0104