Roka Turkish Cuisine in Kew Gardens, NY

Last Saturday, we were invited at Roka Turkish Cuisine restaurant in Kew Gardens. The restaurant, which opened almost a year ago, features a Mediterranean menu crafted by Chef Erol Firat. We got to meet with Annette Dulger, one of the owners and had a nice chat during this incredible tasting you will witness in this post, talking about her home country, Turkey (Annette was born and raised in Istanbul), but also about food! What sets apart Roka (that means arugula - salad rocket) is definitely the food: ingredients are purchased in local farms and you will not find any meat with hormones, canned or processed food! And you can definitely taste it! 

The place is bright, with a simple decor; one of the colors that is prominent there is blue and there are large ovals of blue on the ceiling, to represent the sea.

When we arrived (early), the restaurant was empty, but as the time passed, it got very crowded with an heterogenous clientele: families, friends, couples, young, older...For sure, there were regular customers, welcomed by Annette with a kiss on the cheeks, very European. Annette spent a lot of time talking to us, but giving us some space so we could appreciate a dinner en tête-à-tête, but we quickly realized that most of the customers received the same treatment: she was talking to them, making sure that they were fine or did not need anything, sometimes sitting with them for a quick chat. It did not seem to be intrusive and in fact, contributed to the feeling that it is more than a neighborhood gem: more like going to a friend's home and catching up, regulars treated equal with newcomers. 

It was time for us to start what would be a feast! Annette proposed to try some Turkish drinks (non-alcoholic as they do not have yet a liquor license). So we had a sour cherry juice as well as a sparkling soda that had a slight bubble gum taste! I usually do not like sour cherry juice because it is too sweet and too sour; this one was perfect.

Then, they brought us some Turkish olives and olive oil, also from Turkey:

As well as some Turkish bread, freshly made!

The bread was light and airy, with sesame seeds on top, perfect with the olive oil, but also with the cold appetizers they brought us:

It was a sampler similar to the one on the menu, but with few more dishes. The one on the menu has Lebni, Babaganush, special spicy Ezme and hummus for $12. Proposing a sampler is a great idea because it allows patrons to try different appetizers and I am often frustrated when there are so many good things on a menu to try and no sampler is proposed. 

We had:

Hummus, made with mashed chickpeas, fresh garlic, tahini and herbs:

Babaganush (smoked eggplant puree, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and tahini:

Acili Ezme (Special spicy Ezme) - walnut, tomato paste, garlic and spices (yes, this is spicy and a good way to neutralize the spices is by eating Lebni!).

Lebni - strained yoghurt:

Domates Soslu Patlican or Eggplant with tomato sauce peppers and garlic (reminded me in a way of shekshouka):

Enginar or braised artichoke served with peas, carrots and olive oil:

Zeytin yagli yaprak dolma or stuffed grape leaves (stuffed with rice and the Chef's special blend of herbs):

This started well! My favorites were the eggplant, but also the stuffed grape leaves (there was a perfect amount of leaf and the stuffing was very tasty). 

Then, we got a sampler of hot appetizers:

Arnavut Cigeri or fried calf liver cubes:

This was a great dish, especially if you like liver like me! It was tender and not greasy, perfectly cooked, so still moist.

Kalamar or fried calamari:

Perfect also, the calamari were not rubbery and the dish had a nice crunch.

Mucver or zucchini pancake served with a garlic yogurt sauce:

Nice appetizer, the taste of zucchini definitely came through.

This was already a lot of food and I did not expect what was coming!

Yes, a full plate made of different meat grilled to perfection! And that smell when it came! I am still drooling!

We ate the following:

Adana Kebab or ground lamb flavored with red bell peppers, slightly seasoned and grilled on a skewer:

Tavuk adana or chicken kebab, the chicken version of the previous dish!

IzgaraKotte or Turkish meatballs - ground lamb meatballs seasoned with onions, parsley, 

Shish Kebab or marinated cubes of baby lamb grilled on a skewer:

Special Beyti or ground lamb flavored with garlic, hot peppers and rolled in lavash (soft and thin flatbread):

Pirzola or lamb chops:

Doner (gyro) or fresh ground lamb marinated with their own secret blend of seasoning, cooked on a rotating pit then thinly sliced:

Tavuk Kebab or chicken kebab:

All of this was served with basmati rice:

And onions, tomatoes and spices:

One of the spices was sumac:

At the exception of the special Beyti, I loved all the dishes and I was definitely in lamb paradise! The chicken was good too: tender and moist. What was great was that the meat was seasoned perfectly, had a nice char (especially the doner that was succulent) and not smothered in a sauce that would have overpowered it.

Then, as we were talking about cheese, Annette brought us some French feta!

It was less dry and salty than Greek feta and in fact, eating it with the Turkish olives gave that nice saltiness to it.

But wait: it was not over!!! We got desserts too!

Baklava of course!

I was scared at first that it would be dry, but it was not the case at all! It was sweet for sure, but not overly and I could have eaten several of them!

Kazandibi, that is a sort of custard shaped as a roll:

Although beautifully presented, it was just ok for me.

Sutlac or rice pudding:

This looked fantastic, with a nice crust made with the milk and some cinnamon sugar on top!

The rice was soft and it was very creamy.

And then, the best one! Kunefe:

It was a dessert made of thin noodles (sehriye) and cheese, soaked in a sugar syrup.

The crust was crunchy and sweet, thanks to the syrup, and the cheese deliciously elastic. If you go to Roka, you cannot miss this!

With our desserts, Jodi ordered a Turkish tea (Cay):

And I ordered a Turkish coffee (Turk Kahvesi):

Do not expect Turkish coffee to taste like your regular coffee, whether espresso or American. It is a totally different taste that I do not know how to describe. It is an unfiltered coffee and you need to let it settle in the bottom, where a thick layer will form.

This was a fantastic dinner and we were happy to have a short (too short?) walk to the train after this feast! We had a great time and loved the vibe of the restaurant. The staff was very nice and Annette was definitely contributing to make it so welcoming. In fact, the way she handles the customers makes the difference between being welcome and true hospitality. And this was not just with us, who were invited by the restaurant: it was with each patron! I only have a regret: that it is in Kew Gardens and not in our neighborhood!!!

Enjoy (I did)!

Afiyet olsun!

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Please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!