Some Turkish kebab surprises
There’s more to Turkish food than kebabs, pide, and baklava. Unfortunately that’s the limit of most Turkish restaurants in Toronto. A La Turk is no different but at least they put some creativity into their preparation and presentation. Prices are on the high side but the portion size and quality makes up for it.
The food
Besides the usual assortment of kebabs like adana (minced meat), A La Turk has some less common ones. The sarma beyti kebab is encased in a pastry shell and baked. They also offer a VIP Platter, an impressive tower of their best hits in a high tea arrangement.
The beyti kebab was one of the prettiest arrangements I’ve seen for takeout. The container was of an impressive heft. Each salad leaf appeared to be placed with purpose. The kebab was cut into sections, each being topped with yoghurt and pistachio crumbs.
The pastry became slightly soft from steam in the takeout container, even though A La Turk was thoughtful enough to cut some holes in the cover. But it was delicious nonetheless. It was flakey and salted well. The encased kebab was moist and seasoned adequately. Paired with creamy yoghurt and grilled vegetables, it offered multiple tastes and textures in one bite. 8.5/10.
The kebab came with a freshly made pita and two sauces. A bright pink beet sauce and hummus with sumac. I’m a sucker for fresh bread. Little bulbs were impressed onto the dough so that bite-sized pieces can be easily torn off. It was crackly and well-risen. The whiff of sesame rounded up the bread. 8/10.
The dips were all right. The pink sauce tasted like an indistinct mayo. 5/10. The hummus could be creamier but was not out of the ordinary. 6.5/10.
The pides (Turkish flatbreads) were not as good as the kebabs. The exterior could be crispier. Their karışık (mixed) pide is a great choice for sampling a bit of everything. It had three kinds of toppings, albeit one less than other pide restaurants in Toronto.
- Chicken fillet (creamy chicken). This reminded me of chicken carbonara. Great idea but it was too salty. The sun-dried tomatoes added to the saltiness. More cream or fresh vegetables could have helped balance it. The torn basil leaves weren’t enough. 4/10.
- Soujuk (sausage). This was decent. There were few ingredients but it didn’t matter. The soujuk carried all the flavour. It was a concentrated salt and spice packet on its own. The light tomato spread brought some tang. 6/10.
- Veal fillet (steak and cheese). This was a flavour I hadn’t seen before for pide. It was cubes of pepper-marinated steak on cheese. The cut of beef wasn’t the best. Some of it was chewy. Regardless, it was tasty. The cheese was mild and supported the steak literally and flavour-wise. 7/10.
The place
A La Turk is in a neighbourhood with a dearth of good kebabs and Middle Eastern foods. It provides a touch of class with its contemporary furnishings. There’s not much room inside, so reservations are recommended for busy periods.
For pandemic takeout, they’ve placed baklava and other baked desserts at the pickup counter to encourage impulse buys.
Verdict
Creative and delectable Turkish kebabs. Skip the pides. 8/10.
Practical information
- Name
- A La Turk
- Rating
- 8/10
- Recommended dishes
- Sarma beyti kebab
- Prices
- Sarma beyti kebab: $33.90 ($30.00 excluding tax)
Mixed (karışık) pide: $27.12 ($24.00 excluding tax) - Address
- 3443 Yonge Street
- Hours
- Tuesday to Sunday 1200h – 2000h
- Date of visit
- March 2021, July 2021