Turkish Delight on the UES

So, I had another one of those "stumble upon" experiences this week.  By that I mean, I was planning on grabbing lunch at a (usually) reliable diner, saw that this old standby now has a "B" sanitation grade, and ended up at a place just around the corner that was head and shoulders above what I would have had at the diner.

The name of this little gem is Beyoglu (pronounced "Bay-OH-loo.")

Borrowing its title from a district in Istanbul, Beyoglu is a Turkish eatery at the corner of E 81st at 3rd Avenue on the UES.  It's one of those neighborhood spots that I've seen filled to the gills with people every time I've passed there, and I've said to myself, "Wonder if they do gluten free?  I'll stop in next time."

Actually, Beyoglu does not have a separate gluten free menu.  However, the hostess and server who greeted me both immediately knew what I was getting at when I told them I had a wheat allergy and pointed out at least a dozen dishes that were inherently safe for me to eat.  (For the most part, the unsafe items revealed themselves pretty clearly on the menu: "cracked wheat taboule" was obviously out, as was the pan-fried, batter-dipped calamari.)

We ended up going with several different small plates, all of them GF, so that we could share and nosh as we wanted.

First, we tried the Sucuk Izgara--a cumin and garlic-spiced cured beef sausage served over some of the best home fries that I've had in quite some time.  While there was a hint of heat, it was nothing that couldn't be tamed by a spoonful of hummus, which had a perfectly creamy texture with just a hint of cumin and garlic.  

Next, we shared the Barbunya Pilaki, which was a light, sunny salad consisting of red kidney beans, carrots, potato, and lemon-infused olive oil, alongside Karides Izgara--grilled shrimp served with lemon wedges and a peppery cocktail sauce that reflected the flavors of the sausage, only kicked up about 5 notches.

Everything was delicious (we cleaned every plate) and priced quite reasonably (plates ranged from $5-$8), the service was fast and very friendly, and the atmosphere was homey and welcoming.  

A great experience overall and worth a repeat visit.

Beyoglu

1431 3rd Ave (at E 81st)

212-650-0850

Beygolu does not have a website.  But check out Zagat.com for its menu.