Café Istanbul

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5450 W. Lovers Lane Dallas, TX 75209

214-902-0919

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Dallas Observer
Recommended
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant: Upscale
Award Winner 2006

Cuisine(s): Middle Eastern

Hours: Sun 11:30am-10pm, Tue-Fri 11:30am-2pm, Tue-Thu 5pm-10pm, Fri 5pm-11pm, Sat 1pm-11pm

Price: $$

Payment Types: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, cash
Attire: Casual

Features: Smoking, Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Delivery, Private Party, Catering, Wheelchair Accessible

Serving: Brunch, Dinner, Lunch

Entertainment: Live Entertainment
Reservations: Accepted, Recommended for Large Parties

Parking: Lot Available

Description

Dallas' most popular Turkish restaurant opens in the suburbs, and it's even better than the original. Designer space and classic Mediterranean fare, from dolmas to the famous Iskender Kebap.

2006 | Best Middle Eastern Restaurant: Upscale

A little line on Caf� Istanbul's menu offers a telling piece of information: The owner imports charcoal all the way from Turkey for his grill. It's that kind of attention to quality and detail that sets this attractive eatery apart from most other Middle Eastern restaurants in Dallas. We've eaten there many times, and we realize Turkish food isn't for everyone; oftentimes the meat here isn't embellished (or drowned) with fancy sauces. Instead, the rich, earthy flavors of lamb and beef, for e... More »
2004 | Best Middle Eastern Restaurant

Trust us, we've tried virtually every Middle Eastern restaurant in the area, and there are a few that get repeat business from us: Hedary's, which has Dallas and Fort Worth locations; Byblos in Fort Worth, run by a member of the Hedary family; and King Tut's in Fort Worth's Hospital District. But the place you'll see us at most often is Café Istanbul, a pretty cafe near the Inwood Theatre. Here, chef-owner Erol Girgin clearly attends to the details, because everything comes together... More »
2000 | Best Turkish atmosphere

The entire staff is from Turkey, and Turks not only know food, they have atmosphere nailed. Unique and authentic hookahs, rugs, and wine bottles adorn the walls and shelves. There is a library feel to this place in that everything feels so well-placed and so...cultural. They have a belly dancer who entertains while you eat, and scares the hell out of your children...especially your pubescent male ones. More »

Cafe Istanbul, a Staple on Lovers, Gets a Makeover (Photos)

By Lauren Drewes Daniels | Tue, November 22, 2011

Cafe Istanbul has been in the Inwood Village Shopping Center on Lovers Lane for over 15 years, but this summer regulars found their go-to Mediterranean spot closed for renovations. When the restaurant... More »
Mid-Rift Crisis

By Dave Faries | Thu, March 17, 2005

If there's one thing we've learned from our current leadership, it's the infallibility of America's worldview. We characterize the French as weak-willed surrender monkeys because they are--simple as that. Russians drink to excess; Brits need a les... More »
Turkish delight

By Mary Brown Malouf | Thu, August 10, 1995

One of my favorite food memories is eating a cucumber on the street in Istanbul. It was hot, we were tired out by haggling in the Grand Bazaar, discouraged by the experience of being blonde in Turkey, and tired of avoiding fresh fruit for the sake... More »

Main Menu

Cold Appetizers

$4.00

Patlican Salatasi-Eggplant Salad
charcoal grilled eggplant flavored with garlic and herbs

$4.00

Humus - Hummus
chick peas mashed into a paste with lemon juice and flavored with tahini

$4.00

Soslu Patlican - Sauced Eggplant
small pieces of eggplant in moderately spicy sauce of fresh tomatoes, green peppers, onions and garlic

$4.00

Barbunya Plaki - Red Kidney Beans
turkish red kidney beans tasted with olive oil and lemon

$4.00

Ispanak - Spinach Spread
spinach prepared with onion, pine nuts and red peppers

$4.00

Cacik - Jajik
chopped cucumbers, garlic, mint and blended generously with yogurt

$4.00

Babaganus - Babagannush
charcoal grilled eggplant flavored with garlic and herbs

$6.00

Midye Dolmasi - Stuffed Mussels
fresh mussels stuffed with pine nuts, rice and currants

$8.50

Karides Kokteyl - Shrimp Cocktail
large size shrimp served with grated horseradish sauce

$5.00

Yaprak Sarmasi - Stuffed Grape Leaves
grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, currants, fresh parsley and mint

Seafood Salads

$9.50

Ahtapot Salatasi - Octopus Salad
combination of grilled octopus, red onion, tomatoes, parsley, arugula, olive oil and dressing

$7.95

Kalamar Salatasi - Calamari Salad
grilled calamari, julian red onion, tomatoes, arugula, parsley, olive oil and dressing

Hot Appetizers

$5.00

Sigara Boregi - Cheese Roll
delicate fillo dough wrapped with feta cheese and parsley then pan-fried

$6.00

Amavut Cigerl - Fried Liver Cubes
cubes of calf's liver pan-fried then served with onion and parsley salad

$7.00

Kalamar Tava - Fried Calamari
calamari rings lightly pan-fried and served with chefs homemade sauce

$8.00

Hamsi Tava - Pan-Fried Anchovies
seasonal black sea fish ask your server avallability

$5.50

Midye Tava - Fried Mussels
fresh mussels removed from shells, delicately pan-fried and served with homemade garlic sauce

$6.75

Balik Koffesi - Fish Ball
pan fried white meat fish marinated with herbs

Lg $4.00
Sm $2.00

French Fries

$6.75

Findik Lahmacun - Mini Meat Pie

$6.00

Falafel
chick peas mashed with onions, parsley and garlic deep fried

Seafood Entrees
Ask About Our Seasonal Seafood Specials

$16.00

Cupra - Royal Dorado
(imported aegean sea fish) exquisite and delightful fish served either lightly pan-fried or char-grilled

$16.50

Akdeniz Levregi-Imported Mediterranean Sea Bass
exotic, tender and delicious white meat served whole recommended char-grilled

$16.50

St. Peters Fish
delicate, flaky white meat served whole or filet char-grilled or lightly pan-fried

$16.00

Levrek - Striped Bass
char-grilled white meat fish. also served as filet

$16.00

Alabalik - Rainbow Trout
fresh rainbow trout pan-fried or char-grilled to perfection the served with removed bone

$16.50

Kiremitte Alabalik - Casserole Rainbow Trout
rainbow trout baked in casserole with vegetable

$15.50

Dil Baligi - Whole Flounderq
mild and flaky white meat served whole or filet lightly pan-fried or filet baked

$16.75

Mercan Baligi - Red Snapper
delicious while meat served either whole or filet lightly pan-fried recommended

$16.95

Barbun Tava - Red Mulled
fascinating tender white meat, bony but tasty cooked lightly pan-fried

$15.95

Salmon Izgara - Grilled Fillet of North Atlantic Salmon
north atlantic salmon filet char-grilled and served

$16.50

Salmon Guvec - Salmon Casserole
chunks of salmons baked in casserole with mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers and garlic

$15.50

Hamsi Tava - Pan-Fried Fresh Anchovies
seasonal exotic black sea fish. ask your server availability

$17.00

Karides Izgara - Grilled Shrimp Shish Kebab
jumbo shrimp, lemon, onion and red bell peppers skewers on grill and served

$16.50

Karides Guvec - Shrimp Casserole
large size shrimp baked in a casserole with mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers, garlic and shredded cheese on top

$16.50

Ahtopot Guvec - Octopus Casserole
fresh octopus baked in a casserole with mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers, garlic and shredded cheese on top

Meat Entrees
All Meat Entrees Served with Rice Or French Fries

$12.00

Sis Kebap - Shish Kebab
special marinated baby lamb grilled to delight on skewers

$11.95

Adana Kebab
ground lamb flavored with red bell peppers slightly seasoned with paprika and grilled deliciously on skewers

$16.95

Kuzu Pirzola - Lamb Chops
baby lamb chops marinated and grilled to order

$12.00

Tavuk Sote - Chicken Sautee
diced pieces of chicken mixture of onion, tomatoes, green peppers and seasoned

$12.00

Et Sote - Lamb Sautee
diced pieces of lamb mixture of onion, tomatoes, green peppers and seasoned

$12.00

Izgara Kotte - Char-Grilled Turkish Meat Ball
ground meat spiced with turkish herbs then char-grilled to your taste

$12.00

Tavuk Sis Kebap - Chicken Shish Kebab
tender chunk of chicken marinated with chef's own blend of herbs sand spices

$14.00

Tavuk Pirzola - Chicken Chops
marinated chicken with piece of bone grilled to order

$10.95

Gyro
freshly ground lamb wrapped around a large vertical split and grilled

$17.95

Karisik Izgara - Mix Grill
combination of chicken kebab, shish kebab, meat ball and lamb chop

Over Specialties

$12.00

Kusbasili Pide
(lamb meat pide) a delectable chopped lamb, tomatoes, onions and peppers prepared in the oven over the dough

$12.00

Tavuklu Pide (Chicken Pide)
a second version to our famous pide prepared with cubs of chicken tomatoes, onions, peppers and served

$10.50

Kiymali Pide
(with ground meat) this savory ground meat is mixed together with tomatoes, onions, peppers and parsley over turkish pide

$12.50

Sucuklu Pide
(turkish sausage with kashar cheese) this fresh turkish cheese is prepared within the dough and topped with turkish sausage

$13.00

Pastirmali Pide
(turkish pastrami with kashar cheese) this fresh turkish cheese is prepared within the dough is now topped with melted pastrami

$10.00

Kasarli Pide (Turkish Kashar Cheese)
turkish kashar cheese

$14.50

Special: Mix Pide
pastrami, sausage, kashar cheese, eggs, vegetable

Sandwiches

$5.00

Gyro Sandwich

$6.00

Shish Kebab Sandwich

$6.00

Chicken Kebab Sandwich

$6.00

Adana Kebab Sandwich

$6.00

Kotte Kebab Sandwich

$6.00

Falafel Sandwich

Soup

$3.00

Mercimek Corbasi - Red Lentil Soup
mercimek corbasi - red lentil soup

$3.50

Balik Corbasi - Fish Soup
fresh fish mixed with vegetables prepared and ready to serve

Looking for another city?

Café Istanbul

5450 W. Lovers Lane Dallas, TX 75209

214-902-0919

Description

2006 | Best Middle Eastern Restaurant: Upscale

2004 | Best Middle Eastern Restaurant

2000 | Best Turkish atmosphere

By Lauren Drewes Daniels | Tue, November 22, 2011

By Dave Faries | Thu, March 17, 2005

By Mary Brown Malouf | Thu, August 10, 1995