Tacis Beyti – Turkish in Brooklyn

[Bob Martinez]

Steve R. introduced us to this place years ago. It’s stuck in the wilds of deepest Brooklyn on an unlovely section of Coney Island Ave that features auto supply stores and kitchen renovation outlets. In the past I’ve written about “bright lights" Chinese restaurants. This was the Turkish equivalent. Short on charm with pretty good food. I don’t remember all the dishes we had but I liked it well enough to return twice, once with my GF, once solo. And then, for no particular reason, we stayed away for 5 years.

In the interim I had a lot of very good meals at Turkish Kitchen in Manhattan. I began to warm to the cuisine. I had dreams where I wore a fez and smoked a hookah. Clearly it was time to revisit Tacis Beyti. It wasn’t hard to convince my GF – she’d been my partner at all those meals at TK.

We picked a rainy day at the end of April for our return. I figured we’d be able to park right in front of the place – most of the businesses in the area are closed on Sundays. No luck – we had to park around the corner. Later we found out why.

The old “bright lights” place still makes you squint. It was packed with an enormous family party which looked like it was breaking up. I figured we could grab a table as they became vacant but a waiter told me that the actual restaurant had moved next door. The old restaurant is now used exclusively for parties.

The rain was still coming down but it only took us a second to step next door. Surprise – no bright lights. There’s an exposed brick wall, vaguely Middle Eastern light fixtures, black and white photos of Turkish scenes on the walls and snowy white table cloths. I’d give it a 7.5 on the charm scale.

Surprise again – the place was packed with Turkish families and as we waited big SUVs pulled up in front of the place and disgorged families which headed either for the party annex or the new restaurant. No wonder there was no parking. The Tacis crowd had taken over Coney Island Ave.

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We lucked out – a big table by the window opened up and they gave it to us. This cheered us up so much that we ordered enough food for four people.

They started us off with some excellent bread. The Turks have slipped under the radar when it comes to bread. It’s as good as the best Italian loaves I’ve had, pleasingly chewy and full of flavor.

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We started with an order of Ezme.

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Think of it as a Turkish salsa – it’s made from shredded tomatoes dressed in garlic with a bit of lemon, cucumber, and diced onion. They offer it with optional hot pepper and we ordered it that way. This is wonderful stuff – fresh and piquant. We used that great bread as scoops.

Next was pan-fried calf's liver cubes with onions and lemon. I’m not a liver person but my GF is – she thought it was wonderful.

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Next was the Iskender Kebab

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It’s thin slices of gyro kebab in a mildly spicy tomato sauce, served over pita bread dressed with a yogurt sauce. I had ordered this a couple of times years ago and liked it fine. This time around I liked it a bit less. Maybe it’s changed or maybe I’ve changed or maybe I was getting full. I’ll have to try it again.

About 5 minutes after it arrived they delivered our last dish - Karisik Pide

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Imagine a cross between a thin crust pizza and a big pita loaf and you’ve got an idea of the base. Then they top it with sauteed ground lamb, Turkish sausage, Turkish pastrami & mozzarella cheese.

This was simply outstanding, one of the best things we’ve had in the last year. The pide is cut into thin strips which is a good thing because you’re going to want to eat this fast.

You can cut the strips with a knife and eat them with a fork but the crust retains enough rigidity so you can eat them by hand.

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God, this is really good. Just excellent stuff.

We wound up taking home a lot of food. The liver cubes, Iskender kebab, and pide all made the trip. It took a heroic effort not to wait until my GF fell asleep and then eat all the left over pide myself. I devoted a good deal of thought to it but I figured she’d never fall for my story about how they forgot to pack it up for us. Instead we split it as a snack the next day.

The crowd was almost completely Turkish, split between foreign born Turks and 2nd generation American born. It’s a pleasant group, sometimes a little colorful, a little boisterous, but actually very well behaved. A couple of cuts above the people in the East Village.

The service was attentive and moved with an almost military efficiency. These guys don’t screw around. They find out what you want and then they bring it to you. There's no chit chat. From time to time they check in to see if everything is OK but there’s none of that false friendliness you find at so many American places. Nobody introduced themselves to us. I found that refreshing.

We’ve been back a couple of times since, both visits on Friday nights. Arriving at around 7:30 we’ve found the restaurant 70% full. There were no problems getting a table.

We’re working our way through the menu. Having been total gluttons the first time around we’ve learned to order less food

Hummus with Turkish Pastrami

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Forget Katz’s pastrami – this has more in common with bresaola, the Italian air-dried and salted beef. You use a little of that terrific bread to scoop up some hummus and the pastrami. It’s a very nice dish.

Sucuklu Kasarli Pide - topped with Turkish sausage and mozzarella.

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Turkish sausage has a strong flavor that I happen to enjoy a lot but I could see how some people would find it a bit much. It makes for a nice change of pace from the Karisik pide. I’d probably order it one time in five.

Adana Kebab - chopped lamb flavored with fresh red bell peppers.

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It’s got a bit of paprika sprinkled in and it’s served with roasted green peppers and lightly sautéed onions over a pita loaf. It’s a mild dish but fully flavored and pairs well with the more assertive pides.

Wait – I haven’t mentioned the best part. The place is BYO. It’s as if they knock $40 off your check as you walk in the door.

So lets sum up. Nice atmosphere, attentive service, fully flavored carefully made food, and very good prices. The only negative is the location, miles from brownstone Brooklyn and a real hike from the subway.

I’ve got a car so I don’t care and to be honest, they don’t need any more business than they already have.

Website?

“We don’t need no stinking website.”

Menupages - http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/...

Tacis Beyti is on Coney Island Ave. near the corner of Avenue P.

[DistrictSelectman]

They usually have iskembe corbasi (tripe soup) although it's not on the menu. Not traditionally served as an app course but it's tasty enough to break with tradition.

[BuildingMyBento]

I think the "pastrami" is called basterma, and you can find it (in Manhattan, at least) at Kalustyan's in Curry Hill.,

[Daniel76]

Gorgeous photos!

[blehrer]

You all forgot to mention that they have the best shepherd’s salad this side of Istanbul. And most of the people speaking non-English seem to be speaking Russian, not Turkish

[janie]

went with a group last night, busy sat night, place was hopping..servers nice as could be--feta cigars light as feather, excellent, perfect chicken kebab, great yog sauce, salmon, doner kebab, chicken saute, all good--portions very generous--especially the saute, huge! Bread yummy..hummos average--shepherd salad, excellent. Dessert, really really simple and good--fresh figs stuffed with walbuts, apricots stuffed with almonds, both served with ice cream--so fresh and good--baklava type log roll, very good--and best dessert was round baked phyllo with feta inside drizzled on top with honey, pistachios..amazing...byo makes it really a great deal, too. Place is so cute inside, also! Look forward to returning

[Bob Martinez]

We went back to Tacis Beyti last Friday for the first time in about 6 weeks. We were seated near the front. The position let us indulge our passion for people watching and the light was beautiful.

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We mixed and matched, ordering some favorites and some new dishes.

The ezme (no photo) was terrific as always. We also tried a new starter, their spinach pie (“thin-layered dough filled with a blend of fresh spinach, feta cheese & parsley.

)

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The pastry dough was suitably thin and they were served hot from the kitchen. Very tasty.

Then another new dish, the lamb sautee. (“small pieces of baby lamb sauteed with tomatoes, onions & green peppers, seasoned with chef's blend of herbs & spices served steaming in a casserole”.

)

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When they say “steaming” they mean it. This was softly bubbling when it arrived at the table. There was a generous amount of lamb and the vegetables complemented it nicely. My GF liked this a lot; I liked it a bit less. I’d give it a B, she’d probably say A minus.

We finished up with our old friend the karisik pide which we both consider an A plus.

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It did not disappoint.

[burton]

Agree this is a wonderful place in every way. As a minor side note, their ezme preparation is quite different from the preparation usually encountered. As mentioned in an earlier post, it's really more akin to gazpacho both in texture and flavor than the spicy, pungent, dense style often found. Not saying it's a negative and I realize there are plenty of variations on the theme but frankly it may have been our least favorite item among those ordered and if you're looking for the characteristic flavor burst so to speak, you may be disappointed. On the other hand, the green pepper that accompanied the Iskender Kabob was among the hottest encountered in some time (and the hottest ever experienced in a Turkish meal). So plenty of surprises both ways. All in all, highly recommended.

[Cheese Boy]

Bob, the karisik pide looked better the frist time. Did it taste better then?

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[Bob Martinez]

The first time we had that pide it was exceptional looking. Since then it's looked fine although the appearance has been a bit variable. On the positive side the flavor has been the same on every visit - terrific.

We went back last Friday and the pide was looking pretty good. I'll post a picture when I get a chance.

[Cheese Boy]

Consistency is key. Glad to hear that the taste remains the same.

[twan55]

It's posts like these that make this site what it is. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed reading that.

Btw- thanks for including those photos- they were excellent as well. Just wish I wasn't seeing them on an empty stomach late on a Sunday morning when I have no realistic way of getting there in the near future- at least from where I live (Cobble Hill). Obviously it's possible but not likely...

(sigh)

I think it's finally time to get a car.

[Bob Martinez]

Steve R. pointed out that the Kings Highway stop for the B and Q is about 5 or 6 blocks away. Go on a Saturday and make a day of it. Hit Coney Island, do some people watching, then have a couple of beers at Ruby's, and then hit TB on the way back.

Your only issue will be finding a liquor store or deli in that neighborhood to buy beer or wine. I suspect you can find places around Kings Highway. It's a major shopping district.

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[Steve R]

F train to Ave P. stop. It's McDonald Ave, equivalent to E.1st St. The restaurant is off Ave P on Coney Island Ave, equivalent to E.11th St. The blocks are short... 10 minute walk max.

[MikeG]

Just to warn people, though, that while the F would be good for intra-Brooklyn travel, the trip from Manhattan to Kings Highway is a _lot_ longer than the ride on the Q; during the week when the B runs, that's even quicker.

[MikeG]

Actually, there are a couple of liquor stores within a block of two and a couple more yet within 5-6 blocks. One gets the feeling their mainstay is liquor, but one or two of them seem to carry a lot of wines from former Soviet bloc countries (big surprise, in that neighborhood) which have curiosity value if nothing else.

[buttertart]

Bring raki and you might get adopted :)

[the brooklyn pilsner]

was successful in dragging the gf out from prospect heights tonight. quite an amazing meal (and incredibly easy commute, provided one is close to the q/b train). i've been staring at that picture of the karisik pide for some time now, and finally ordered it tonight. really excellent stuff - amazingly complex spicing from the variety of meats.

we also ordered the ezme, which was wonderful and refreshing (turkish gazpacho?), and wanted to give a shout out to the stuffed eggplant appetizer, which may have been one of the better eggplant-related things that has ever gone down my gullet.

though we brought our own wine , there is a new-ish seeming liquor store across the street with it's own parking lot and lots of 'merican flags everwhere.

[buttertart]

We used to live in PH close to the Q. sigh...

[redgirl]

It’s stuck in the wilds of deepest Brooklyn ---LOL not even a little in the 'wilds of deepest Brooklyn!' It's near Kings Highway. They've been around for years. their food is amazing and there's usually a line to get in. sad to have lost Gulloglu - they were just amazing.

[Bob Martinez]

I've lived in Brooklyn for over 30 years so I actually do know something about the various neighborhoods. Some parts of Brooklyn are relatively easy to reach if you're coming from Manhattan, others are more difficult.

I first went to Tacis Beyti over 8 years ago and I knew that it had been around for a bunch of years before that. I don't pretend to have "discovered" it. The board isn't exactly flooded with posts about it so I figured I'd give them a detailed write up.

[jen kalb]

Id agree that Kings Hway and CIA qualifies as the "depths" of Brooklyn - maybe its in the center but its a long way from the edges of this very large borough. Certainly tho its more accessible than parts of say E. Flatbush and so that you need to take train+bus or drive a long time to get to. didnt it used to be on the other side of the street???

[erica]

Sorry it took me so long to thank you for an astounding report. I need to make my way there soon, but have just one, mundane question: How is the parking situation on weekday evenings? (I've actually been to that block a few times during business hours, as there is a good lamp repair store at 1975 CIA, The Lamp Doctor, and the parking then was horrific, so curious to know about later in the afternoon..) Thanks again.

[Bob Martinez]

The last two times we were there were on Friday nights at around 7:30. I didn't bother to try Coney Island Ave. although it might have been fine. Instead I parked around the corner on East 12th St. It was easy.

[buttertart]

It's not a terribly long walk from the Q, that's how we got there.

[JH Jill]

I've been there four or five times over the years, on weekend evenings and the last time on a weekday for late lunch. I've always been able to park on that block or just around the corner. It's a very long block with parking on both sides.

By the way, I highly recommend the Eggplant with Spicy Tomato Sauce appetizer. Though I've tried several lamb kabobs, the branzino, the lahmacun, and some other apps, I always order this and the Shepherd Salad. With that and the pide, we always end up sharing one or two mains. Never had their desserts. In the past always went to Gulluoglu (now at 231 Brighton Beach Ave), but really don't have much need for dessert after the addictive bread.

[scanmike]

The fish is excellent. Been going here for years as we live in the Rockaways. I always order the whole grilled trout. Delicious and inexpensive, about $15.00. I see they now have added more types of grilled fish like Bronzino. Service is excellent here, quick and courteous. Try the dessert that is baked in the oven. It's some type of melted cheese swimming in a delicious pool of honey. You have to order it ahead of time. It's decadent. Sorry forgot the name.

[daiquiri ice]

Beyti has got to be the most consistently great in Brooklyn. I've gone there for years and never been disappointed in the meze or kebabs, and the staff is just lovely. Dream about that pan-fried eggplant with garlic sauce.

Fyi, Gulloglu has closed up shop and moved to Brighton Beach.

[jen kalb]

so sorry Gulloglu has moved but it is a very dead stretch of CIA and we never saw anyone in there. If they are getting more patronage in BB more power to them.

[buttertart]

Is the Manhattan shop still open?

[erica]

Yes, open on Second and 52nd.

[buttertart]

They have a lamb tenderloin "kebab" that's very small cubes of meat in hot pepper and cumin that is unbelievably delicious. I don't know what it's called, we were there with Turkish people who ordered...love that dish. then there's always Gulloglu for dessert (chestnut baklava, please).

[Steve R]

We actually went back after an absence about 2-3 months ago & loved it. By the way, the Kings Highway stop on the B train is only 6 short blocks since Quentin Rd diagonals toward Ave P as you walk toward CIAve. And I think they do have some kind of mezze plate available upon request -- not their strong suit however.

[janie]

Has anyone tried the Taci place on Metropolitan ave in Forest Hills that claims an association with the place in Brooklyn?

[Polecat]

Yeah, a few weeks ago, actually. The food we had, which included the hummus pastrami, was decent but not stellar. The Brooklyn version, based on Bob's photo and description, appears to be a step up. I had wanted a pide dish but was told you have to call ahead 30 minutes in advance. The service was nice, helpful, gracious, the space nice and roomy. I'll definitely get around to trying them out again - this time for the pide. I'm hoping they work out. We could always use another good restaurant in the neighborhood.
P

[janie]

thanks for the report..was curious, but confused by their menu a bit..seems as though rice doesn't come with entrees only pita? and prices seem a bit high for area to do as well as perhaps they could----ordering 30 min ahead doesn't seem to good either..used to really like the turkish restaurant in Sunnyside, years ago--

[Polecat]

Thanks for this. Nicely written. I've had that fez dream, too (or was it just a Shriner's hat at a convention in Reno, alas, can't recall). I've loved that hummus pastrami dish wherever I've gotten it; I'm the Wil Rogers of the stuff - never met a one I didn't like. It's an inspired combination. I often wonder whether it came to be much in the same way as the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup - maybe two guys in Istanbul, one carrying the hummus, the other a tub of pastrami, collided, and now here we are, reaping the delicious reward. Tacirestaurant's version looks especially good.

This place definitely looks like it's worth the trip from Queens to Coney.

P

[burton]

Speaking of Queens, they prepare a nice kiymali pide at Mangal in Sunnyside. Not sure how it stacks up but it never fails to satisfy.

[jen kalb]

Is this the sort of place where they will give you a assorted plate of meze?
have you tried their fish? Id heard in the past that fish was good at Tacis Beyti.

thanks for the report!

[Bob Martinez]

Sorry, I've never had the fish. I don't see an assorted meze option on the menu but they might do it if you asked.

Or you could just bring a bunch of people and order a lot of stuff. :-)

[jen kalb]

We visited Tacis Beyti a couple weeks ago on a Friday - it was a fun experience in the midst of all the turks and Russians- very much enjoyed the karisik (sp?) pide (actually enjoyed the leftovers again the next day, a very tasty item, and my husband's grilled trout was excellent. with a good balance of char and sweet flesh. I was less enamored of the vegetable dishes - the stuffed eggplant was bland and at refrig temp sort of unattractive eating since the fat was a bit congealed and the ezme - a huge portion for two (the small) for $7.50 was more like gazpacho than shepherd salad. I was hoping for something more special in both cases. btw I ordered these in lieu of a mezze plate - I think they said they would put together a plate of 5 items for $15 or so, but since it was mostly the usual suspects we opted for the two veg sides instead. Husband was peeved when he realized it was BYOB since we hadnt brought anything.

All in all we'll be back and thought it was solid but I wasnt quite as excited as I'd hoped.

[Bob Martinez]

"Husband was peeved when he realized it was BYOB since we hadnt brought anything."

You can't say I didn't tell you. :-)

[jen kalb]

Youre right, I only remembered your discount point after he remarked on how many bottles - not provided by the restaurant - he was seeing.

[missmasala]

+1 on that opinion. Went on July 4th after not having gone for a few years. The new dining room is an improvement, but I was expecting to be more wowed by the food than I was. Found it just okay—maybe we ordered wrong. Cold eggplant app, liver, and kebabs. liver was not as good as I remembered and kebabs and eggplant decent but not exciting. best parts of the plate were the onions with sumac and parsley.