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The Mediterranean is a beautiful, sun-drenched stretch of land and sea with olive trees, citrus groves, rosemary and purple flowers growing wild. The foods of the area are healthy and tasty, olive oil being the fat of choice and fresh lemon juice adding a bit of pucker to salads and vegetables. A simple grilled fish can be a triumph.
But the Mediterranean is large and the foods in Spain, France and Italy are considerably different from those in Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Lebanon and Israel.
Mezze, a marvelous array of appetizers, takes a place of pride on the tables of eastern Mediterranean homes and restaurants. The main courses feature fish and lamb, much like their western neighbors. These thoughts went through my mind during a recent dinner at Divan, a Turkish restaurant that opened at the corner of 22nd and Carpenter streets less than two weeks ago.
The owners are Ilker Ugur and his sister, Fulya. Ugur left his native Turkey to study mathematics and economics in New York City before settling in Philadelphia.
Divan, which means ‘sofa" in Turkish, is a warm and welcoming BYOB. The walls are a sunny yellow and small lights hang from the ceiling. The bar, which Ugur built with his father’s help, is trimmed with colorful, hand-painted Turkish tiles. Although Divan is a cozy neighborhood spot, the tables are covered with crisp, white linen and napkins with modern tableware and pretty wine glasses.
Two servers took good care of us. They were well-versed in the menu and answered our questions. Fresh, warm bread from a Turkish bakery in North Jersey was more like a fluffy pita. It was tasty when dipped in olive oil. We nibbled on olives and I was surprised they were the ordinary black ones from a can – the Mediterranean kind would have been better.
We began dinner with a purée of lentil soup ($3.50), sigara borek ($4.50), stuffed grape leaves ($5.50) and mashed eggplant ($5). The soup arrived piping hot and was freshly prepared. It was the first time I tasted a purée of this kind and it was nicely seasoned.
Sigara borek (Moroccan cigars) are a favorite of mine. These were homemade with phyllo dough, which was savory and rich, and filled with creamy, slightly salty feta. Four came with the order and they were so good, I could have enjoyed another round.
Mashed or chopped eggplant is a staple on Middle Eastern tables. This portion was small and imparted a marvelous smoky flavor. The stuffed grape leaves were outstanding – plump and filled with cool rice, without a briny flavor (which can happen because the leaves are packed in brine) or aftertaste.
For the entrées, we selected grilled lamb chops ($16.50), a grilled whole dorado ($16.50) and patties made with a mix of ground beef and lamb ($10.50).
Three rib lamb chops arrived medium-rare and were tender and juicy, but lacked the smoky flavor an authentic grill can give. A grilled hot green pepper, a wedge of unripe grilled tomato and a mound of perfectly cooked rice flecked with slivered almonds came as a side, but I would like to have seen a mix of fresh grilled vegetables to round out the platter.
For $16.50, the whole dorado was a tasty bargain. This mild, white-flesh Mediterranean fish could set you back $25 to $30 in other restaurants, especially certain BYOBs that hike up prices to compensate for their lack of a liquor license. The fish was delicious and the flesh was light and sweet. A tangy dipping sauce accompanied it. Instead of vegetables, this dinner came with a side salad, which consisted of a handful of spring mix and unripe tomato wedges.
The beef and lamb patties should have been seared; they lacked a crust on the outside. Still, they were flavorful – nicely seasoned with Turkish spices. It came with the same rice and vegetables.
Divan offers baklava and rice pudding – which always appear on Middle Eastern menus – but we wanted something different. Our server recommended the milk pudding ($3.50) and I’m glad we tried it. The pudding is akin to custard, but richer and tastier. It had a slightly light, vanilla flavor I liked. The top of the generous portion was dusted with cinnamon, a favorite spice used in many sweet and savory recipes.
We were not disappointed in any of the dishes we sampled. Still, the chefs, who are from Turkey, should chargrill their meats for authentic Middle Eastern flavor. Adding some black and green Mediterranean olives and a mix of grilled vegetables with the entrées would bring the restaurant up a notch.
Two-and-a-half tips of the toque to Divan Turkish Kitchen.
Divan Turkish Kitchen
918 S. 22nd St.
215-545-5790
Visa and MasterCard accepted
Restaurant is not wheelchair-accessible
Open for lunch and dinner seven days
Delivery service available
