Of all the latest restaurant openings in Shanghai, I was most excited about Garlic and its reportedly authentic Turkish food. While I have yet to visit Turkey, I have eaten my way across Greece and acquired a fondness for Eastern Mediterranean cuisine. I even make my own hummus! Stepping through Garlic’s doors, we were hit by the fragrance of freshly baked bread and roasted meats – a good sign of things to come. Many other diners seemed to be Middle Easterners, further raising our expectations of authenticity. A roaring central fireplace warded off the winter chill, while the black-tie clad waitstaff and white table linens created a quietly elegant atmosphere.
We started with glasses of the white house wine and imported goat cheese – both from Turkey, naturally. On the recommendation of a friend we ordered the yogurtlu ispanak, a cold spinach dish with homemade yogurt and olive oil that was so tasty we had a second helping. It was a great accompaniment to the rounds of freshly baked bread the waitstaff kept passing out. Also wanting a warm starter, we tried icli kofte, which are delectable meatballs of minced lamb and walnuts coated with cracked wheat and deep fried. They reminded us of the kibbe served in our favorite Lebanese restaurant back in the States.
We shared two entrees and both were supremely satisfying. The hunkar begendi consisted of slices of achingly tender grilled lamb atop a fluffy cloud of char-grilled eggplant puree. The sweetness of the meat balanced the earthiness of fresh thyme and the smokey flavor of the eggplant, which might have overpowered on its own. The feraye manti – minced meat-filled dumplings – were slightly crispy on the outside and drizzled with a creamy garlic yogurt sauce. Fresh mint added necessary brightness.
Hoping for something close to baklava, which was glaringly absent from the menu, we ordered kunefe for dessert. Nothing like the layered flaky pastry in honey we had envisioned, kunefe was more like a fried pie of angel hair pasta and shredded pastry overflowing with creamy cheese and swimming in a sweet syrup. It was decadently topped with butter and crushed pistachios and went well with the complimentary tea. We would order every one of these dishes again and hope to do so soon.
Garlic Address: 698 Yongjia Lu, Shanghai, China Pricing: starters 48-75 RMB (6-12 USD); entrees 74-180 RMB (12-30 USD); dessert 70 RMB (11 USD)
Great. It’s nearly midnight and I was already hungry and debating whether I should go for a late night snack. Then I read this blog. Now I’m sad because I don’t have anything good to eat in my fridge. I’m blaming these next three instant-noodle pounds on YOU.
LOL I don’t feel too sorry for you given all the great street food you have access to.
Looks like a great restaurant . I’ve never had Turkish food that I know of.
Glad you both enjoyed it.