Istanbul Grill
6204 S. Cooper St.
Arlington, TX 76001
(817) 557-3377
Istanbul Grill
Istanbul Grill Lamb ADANA
December 4, 2015
Istanbul Grill is a family owned and operated Turkish grill located in a strip center in Southern Arlington. The emphasis here is on grilled meats with Mediterranean appetizers and side dishes.
We started our meal with the Hummus ($5.95) made with mashed chickpeas, garlic and tahini paste. The Hummus at Istanbul Grill is some of the best hummus I’ve had at a Middle Eastern/Greek influenced restaurant anywhere in the area. This appetizer is recommended.
We also shared a hot appetizer of Cigarette Borek ($5.95) consisting of cigarette sized slices of creamy feta cheese wrapped in phyllo dough and fried before serving. It was interesting with mild, savory flavors but not something I need to order every time I come unlike the hummus.
My entree for the evening was the Lamb ADANA ($11.95) consisting of spicy ground lamb rolled lengthwise like a cigar before grilling. The meat was very flavorful and moist, perfectly grilled. The dish is accompanied by delicious and moist rice with a pungent, vinegar laden slaw to cleanse the palate between savory, fatty bites of meat. This dish is recommended.
Service is very attentive. Kitchen service is quick, even on a busy Friday evening.
The real sparkle on this gem is Istanbul Grill is pure BYOB. Feel free to bring your own bottle of wine or beer to pair with your meal. There is no corkage fee. Glasses are barely passable so if you’re picky about your stemware feel free to bring your own. We did. NOTE: Wine BYOB is very popular here. During our recent Friday visit every party that came through the door brought a bottle of wine with the exception of two.
Parking is free in the strip center lot in front of the restaurant. There is no valet parking. Attire is casual; jeans and a casual shirt more than get the job done and seem to be the outfit of choice during our visits there. Reservations are accepted but for the most part the restaurant seems to be a walk in place. Maybe call ahead on busy evenings. Major credit cards accepted.
Conclusion: I’ve been here multiple times at this point in time and every dish I’ve tasted I enjoyed. Couple good food that is wine friendly (grilled meats), good pricing, BYOB option and casual atmosphere and I can’t recommend Istanbul Grill enough.
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