One of my first months in Seattle was passed in Madrona, dog-sitting
the world’s sweetest standard poodle in a house with a view of Lake
Washington. It was a good life, but a very quiet one. Since then, the
only real draw of Madrona has been a bowl of bouillabaisse at
Crémant (and perhaps the occasional cupcake from Cupcake
Royale). For all its shops and restaurants, 34th Avenue often seems
deserted, giving few reasons to linger in such a staid, upscale
world.
Now Madrona’s Bistro Turkuaz has settled into the neighborhood,
joining Crémant as another place where you can happily dally
over a bottle of wine and conversation. Turkuaz is as warm and
welcoming a restaurant as you could ask for: a long, railroad
car–skinny room with just 10 tables, copper-colored punched-tin
ceilings, crimson and yellow walls, blond wood floors. A tiny set of
stairs in the back leads to the kitchen, where you can catch glimpses
of chef Ugur Oskay preparing her soul-warming, garlic-laden, perfectly
seasoned home-style Turkish food. The cozy dining room is presided over
by Oskay’s daughter, Dila Bizel, easily Seattle’s most charming
waitress.
Follow Bizel’s advice and start with a few of Turkuaz’s appetizers,
called meze, all of which come with thick, warm pita bread.
Along with Middle Eastern standards like hummus ($7) and baba ghanoush
($7)—both of which are somehow creamier, smoother, and more
subtle-tasting than any you’ve had before—Oskay offers
lesser-known spreads and salads. Mucver ($8), pan-fried zucchini
pancakes whose centers are pleasantly moist and soft, are topped with
dollops of thick yogurt. Acuka ($9) is a smoky-sweet puree of
roasted red peppers, walnuts, and garlic, brightened by lemon. It’s not
perfectly smooth, and a piece of pita or index finger dragged through
it often yields a small, gratifying nutty crunch.
Turkuaz’s entrées highlight marinated meats, hunks of which
are skewered onto long metal sticks and grilled over direct flames
before landing on the plate as kebabs. Kofte kebab ($15), meat
patties made of ground beef and lamb, are spicy and satisfying, each
served atop a slice of pita. If the kofte is a tad dry, a quick dip
into the accompanying pot of cacik immediately remedies the
situation. (A note on the omnipresent cacik, yogurt sauce made with
cucumbers, garlic, dill, mint, and astringent sumac: For all its potent
tang and garlic bite, it never gets old. Don’t be surprised when you
find yourself sopping it up with bread and meat, working it into nearly
every bite.)
The Turkuaz Special ($20), a massive dish that masterfully brings
together many of Turkuaz’s different textures and flavors, actually is
special. (As a bonus, your order is met with an approving and assuring
eyebrow raise and smile from Bizel.) A skewer of grilled lamb chunks,
slightly charred on the outside, flavorful and juicy on the inside,
sits atop a warm bread salad made of patilican sole (roasted
eggplant) and crusty, fluffy bites of chopped pita. It’s dressed with
the simplest sauce—plain chunks of tangy, high-quality
tomatoes—and surrounded by pools of cacik. The
dish—a pile of spicy meat; rich, earthy eggplant; pillowy pita;
and bright tomatoes; all brought together by that magical yogurt
sauce—is unforgettable.
Oskay’s plating and presentation—perfect, symmetrical
placement of pita and sauce, strategic dustings of parsley and
sumac—is worth noting. It’s certainly not necessary, considering
the rustic, simple nature of the food; it feels more like a gesture to
Turkuaz’s clientele, wealthy neighborhood couples who come for a somber
meal during which everyone speaks in restrained, hushed tones as a
lethargic Norah Jones album plays in the background. While you can’t
fault a restaurant for catering to its neighborhood, Turkuaz sacrifices
some vibrancy and joy in creating an “elegant” atmosphere. While my
dining companion and I were thrilled by our meal, we found ourselves
whispering the entire time. The lilting songs Bizel was humming to
herself as she worked the room would have made a better soundtrack.
Toward the end of the night, when the Norah Jones album was over and
the restaurant was nearly empty, a few family friends showed up. The
energy changed immediately and dramatically for the better. Oskay came
out of the kitchen and greeted us, followed by her son, and everyone
sat around the table in the window, sipping liquor and snacking. “Let
me know if you need anything else, but take your time,” Bizel smiled.
“Our friends are here now.” Soon the restaurant was filled with
laughter and loud conversation, and the place felt like it
should. 
We ate here a few months ago — also great food. It wasn’t as staid as the critic says, but that was before the Crash.
cant wait to try it. sounds like a winner. i live in the neighborhood and am sick of the pretentious (pricey/small portions) restaurants that dominate the scene. bring on a bagel shop or pizzeria now!
I found insect parts in my salad last Tuesday, and the staff was like “whatever” about it. I had to get up and walk out. They told me if I didn’t pay, they would call the cops. Never again.
I found insect parts in my salad last Tuesday, and the staff was like “whatever” about it. I had to get up and walk out. They told me if I didn’t pay, they would call the cops. Never again.
Yay! Angela’s back! I missed reading your writing and getting excited about the cuisines you described- and the Stranger’s food section was certainly lacking without your joyous dishing about food- you were missed-
Kip, insect parts? Really? What kind of insect parts?
Probably recognized them as cockroach parts since he has tons of them in the houses he rents out.
Why in the world would you folks serve a cockroach like Schoning. Do you not know his reputation for spreading disease and filth from his slum rentals. If he indulged in a few bugs in his salad, you can bet it fell off of his clothing. Just chalk it up to a mild case of cannibalism and call the health department next time he comes in.
“[E]asily Seattle’s most charming waitress”? Is it “charming” to brush off eager diners by curtly telling them that no, they can’t put their name on a list while they go two doors down for a warm place to sit/stand/get a drink even though there’s nowhere to wait inside Bistro Turkuaz AND it’s pouring cats and dogs outside??
A simple google search on Kip Schoning yields a disturbing thread.
Comments above indicate he is less a restaurant critic and more of a slumlord.
Pay him no mind.
Check out the restaurant for yourself.
I have to agree with neighborhood foodie, the friendly factor is BS, the staff is VERY cold.
Kip Schoning makes things up.
Just thought we should chime in after so many absolutely wonderful meals at Bistro Turkuaz. . . Not only does hostess/waitress Dila have a refreshingly dry wit, she is kind, quick and thoughtful in her approach to customers. Ugur’s menu never ceases to amaze us. Her soon to debut ultra tender lamb shank with roasted root vegetables is the best this well traveled foodie couple have ever tasted. Her Dolmas, Acuka and Baba are peerless appetizers worthy of entree status if ordered as a scrumptuous trio. Do yourself a favor and visit this neighborhood gem. It’s another delicious reason to love eating out in Seattle.
Well, I was VERY excited to treat my wife to an authentic Turkish meal… while asking her advice as to what wonderful delicacies to sample. My wife has lived all but the last two years of her life in Turkey, travelling to all parts and eating in hundreds upon hundreds of actual Turkish restaurants.
Saying that we were disappointed, is a forgiving understatement. The food wasn’t much different than many dishes readily available from “non-Turkish” places.
To say that the waitress was “easily the most charming…” is an outright misrepresentation. She was cold, aloof and somewhat curt in manner. It didn’t take my wife conversing with her and the owner/cook in their native Turkish for me to understand that they weren’t the most friendly bunch.
My wife actually apologized to ME with regard to their cold manners, saying “Please don’t judge all Turkish people by this experience”, as I haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit her extended family in Istanbul.
I do NOT wish them ill will. I HOPE they succeed. But, I’m hoping that in reading this, they will see where they have fallen short, and adjust accordingly. My wife wouldn’t like that I’ve been so honest with this review… she’s much too polite. I am however, honest.
Summary:
Decorative atmosphere: 4.5 of 5
Authentic Food Experience: 1.5 of 5
Cleanliness: 5 of 5
Hospitality Rating: 1 of 5
Value: 2 of 5
Overall Rating: 1.5 of 5
Bistro Turkuaz – Please take this review as an opportunity to improve in the necessary areas.
Those wondering whether they should go??? PLEASE give them a try and decide for yourself.
Kip Schoning is 5 for 5 with negative “reviews”. Where does he find the time for all his extra culinary nastiness as well as managing his thriving slum rental empire?
If he found an insect in his food it probably fell out of his nasty redneck ponytail.
Kip, you are a balding old guy, grow up and get a job already.
Why is Kip Schoning allowed to post what ever “thought” float through his tiny brain but if I post a comment or response it gets flagged? Apparently Kip can dish it but he can’t take it. What a candy ass.