On the snowiest of nights last week, Vicki and I made our way to Istanbul Restaurant, the location of our volunteer appreciation dinner (we’re so fortunate to sit on a committee that chooses to highlight different ethnic cuisines every year – last year, it was Ethiopian).
I can’t say it was the easiest place to find (it would have been helpful if we had been told to look for the shining beacon of a Tim Horton’s sign along 82 Street), though our indirect route plagued with wrong turns was scenic – who knew Balwin had such a nice community league?
A sign just inside the door made us feel welcome the moment we stepped in, which read, “Once you enter our doors you are no longer a customer you are our guest of honour.” The warm ambiance – created from a combination of Christmas lights, neutral wall colours, and a hearth (albeit an electric one), was mirrored in the service, which was attentive and personal (each person, arriving separately, was immediately greeted at the table upon arrival).
Interior
We opted to order platters to share, which suited the group quite well, and enabled us to sample several types of their kebobs and included hummus, salad, rice, pita bread and a nice bonus – dessert.
The platter was a mixed bag – the beef was overdone, and was difficult to pry off its skewer, let alone enjoy. The chicken fared better, and seasoned well with a spicy finish, was the favourite. Vicki liked the salad, but we both thought the hummus was just okay (I much prefer the version at Tazza).
Istanbul mixed platter (for three)
The best part of the meal arrived near the end – dessert. We had the choice of either baklava or rice pudding. The latter won out, and based on the comments around the table, was a good choice. The top had been baked, resulting in a slightly browned “crust”, which gave way to a custard, thinner than I anticipated, but with just the right amount of sweetness. The grains of rice had settled at the bottom of the ramekin, which was nice as an extra layer of texture.
Rice pudding
Vicki and I both decided to try a cup of Turkish coffee. Made tableside, the coffee was poured into delightfully tiny porcelain teacups. The proportions threw me off – about 1/3 of it was actually drinkable (albeit strong) liquid, and the rest of the cup was filled with silt-y grounds. I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but I found out later that this preparation is traditional, and that the remaining grounds can be dumped out onto a saucer to be “read” like tea leaves.
Turkish coffee
I wasn’t blown away by the food, so I wouldn’t go out of my way to return. But if I find myself lost in the neighbourhood again on a snowy winter day, Istanbul might be that shining beacon for a weary traveler.
Istanbul Restaurant
12918 82 Street
(780) 478-8881
Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm, closed Sunday
Only Here for the Food 
i eaten there ,it was the best mediterian food i ever tasted ,great service,will go back gladly
its a great little restaurant ,we had such a good time there,we enjoy the food and the belly dance show,cant wait to go back
we were there for our anniversary dinner ,food was great but too much,couldnt finish it all,turkish cofee was little bit to strong for us,but baklava dessert to die for.strongly recommend for people looking for a different taste
i love turkish food ,great food and hospitality,cheese rolls are my favorite as well as lamb chops,i tried sofra[another turkish restaurant]but wasnt impress but istanbul restaurant impressed me,i might became a regular there
i am in love with this place ,shock the see bad rewiev about their food ,i read so many good rewievs about istanbul restaurant ,thats why i end up going there ,but i guess cant please everyone wont change my mind about their food which is the best i ever had for a long time.
This is the best place to eat in town. Their food is amazingggg!!!!!!
very good food ,i am arabic but i love turkish food as well,close taste to arabic cuisine,we will go back to try their new menu soon
My husband and I didn’t know anything about Turkish food until we tried Istanbul Restaurant. Now we go at least once a month for their signature mixed platter for two. We are looking forward to New Year’s Eve only this time we will indulge in the mixed seafood platter for something different.
evren, michael, cathy, marry, doug and gordan – one comment from the same IP address should be sufficient next time, thanks.
Margaret – they did treat us very well, but the food wasn’t spectacular. I would give it another try in the future, but only if I was in the area already.
I wish people thing before they write columns about small businesses,its already hard to survive for this small ethnic restaurants in a redneck city,this people have kids to feed too,if you have nothing good to say ,dont say anything at all,go back to mcdonald and eat GREAT !!food there,what makes you such an expert in diffrent cuisine s anyway?
Chantelle – I’ve never claimed to be an expert. My review is based on my personal experience at the restaurant, which, if you read carefully, wasn’t wholly negative.
I agree with Chantelle,if you are not an expert as you claim,you should only write in your diary about your moms or grandma’s cooking. Once you write a review and put it in a magazine or on the internet, a lot of people read that review, so you have some responsibility if these businesses lose potential customers after reading your review. You can claim it is just your opinion, but a lot of businesses rely on “word of mouth” to make or break them. Just my opinion concerning small businesses competing in a big city of franchises.