Efendi's Mediterranean Grill

A Turkish delight

by Bill Rodriguez

1255 Reservoir Ave., Cranston, (401) 943-8800
Open Mon, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Tues-Sun, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Major credit cards
Sidewalk access

Maybe it was the recent weather, those free samples of torrid summer, that made it catch our eye. In any case, a window banner proclaiming the spanking-new Efendi's Mediterranean Grill brought visions of blinding blue waters and sea breeze feasting, smack dab in darkest Cranston. A month or so later, we got around to checking it out.

Inside, Johnny Mathis crooned softly as we entered the large, bright dining room. Colorful Mediterranean vistas were on view in prints and posters. Peach-colored walls and a wood-plank ceiling warmed up the place as well. But the most endearing touch is likely to be felt rather than noticed: in an impractically expensive gesture for a restaurant with low to moderate prices, not only are the napkins cloth, but there is no glass or paper protecting the tablecloths.

Although parasols are up in the patio outside, there were none in the drinks inside. A liquor license was granted last week, however. (Although Turkish wine isn't as available in these parts as Greek Retsina, raki, Turkey's entry in the ongoing ouzo/ Sambuca/Anisette war, will be offered.) Till then, sip a Sprite with the hot and herb-sprinkled focaccia that's served while you peruse the menu.

Among more than a dozen hot and cold appetizers are a few non-Mid-Eastern choices, such as smoked trout ($6.95) and Portuguese-style steamers with chourico, ($8.95). But when in Istanbul . . . So we had to have the "mezza plate" ($7.95), a compilation of the region's greatest hits. While my personal preference is for tzatziki to be searing with fresh garlic, most diners will find Efendi's version of the cucumber and yogurt dipping sauce breath-enhancing enough. If you're unfamiliar with any of the other items, trust me: they're definitive. The baba ghanoush (mashed eggplant with sesame tahini) is as light as tapioca. The hummus, mainly ground chickpeas, is just tangy enough from lemon, not verging into puckery. And the stuffed grape leaves -- ah, the Greek olive oil they ooze is dark green and exquisite. All this plus a generous pile of feta cheese, a few kalamata olives, and hot pita bread -- thick and spongy, unlike the kind you get in the supermarket.

This platter was worth the visit in itself, but we forged on. I wanted to try what was billed as a Turkish pizza ($7.95), which grabbed my attention among four grilled, thin-crusted siblings. (It's not the rolled-up lahmacum, sometimes called Turkish pizza.) Fresh pieces of tomatoes, a sprinkling of feta and mozzarella, roasted garlic and shreds of fresh basil. The olives were black instead of kalamata, but they were plentiful and tasty.

Kabobs are a feature, of course, but even some of the pastas and entrées are given a Mid-Eastern spin. Isabel's Kapadokya pasta ($12.95-$17.20) has roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and olives, as well as the usual pesto ingredients. We were told that a much-ordered item is pistachio chicken ($12.99), with the nut-encrusted skinless breast meat pan-seared and served with a sherry cream sauce over sautéed spinach. That was a temptation, but Johnnie decided on the chicken Ayasofa ($12.99) because of the imaginative ingredients. Good choice. The chicken breast, again skinless, was in a pomegranate reduction sauce, brown rather than the expected red, nicely tart and earthily complemented by walnut meats.

I had the seafood "sis kabob" ($14.95), which was served with pilaf and vegetables of the day. The latter was quite a medley: hot marinated peppers, broccoli, string beans, plus a couple of slices of roasted potato. Each of the two skewers contained well-grilled bell peppers, onions, and squash, along with two chunks of swordfish and a jumbo shrimp, both fresh enough to stay flavorful and moist. I was quite satisfied with the preparation. That said, swordfish made an unannounced substitution for salmon, and the promised scallops were absent.

The shellfish no-show was an understandable oversight for a restaurant's first weeks -- so you wave down the waitress and get some on the side -- and wasn't the most significant thing. More important was the reaction of owner/chef Efendi Atma, who was greeting guests rather than manning the grill, because it was early and not busy. Listening politely as I made excuses for the cook, he then replied that there was no excuse and apologized. ("Effendi," with two Fs, is a Turkish honorific, the equivalent of Sir. Anybody whose mama names him mister is bound to be serious about whatever he gets into.) Efendi opened the Seaport Tavern restaurant in Wickford a few years ago. He learned the business working the Mediterranean on cruise ships and, more recently, at such local restaurants as L'Apogee and The Inn at Castle Hill.

Efendi's doesn't make its own desserts, but if the triple-chocolate truffle cake ($3.50) and its mouth-watering mousse layer is representative, the place can be trusted. I think the same can be said for Efendi's in general. Any scallops you are short-changed will be forked over with deepest regrets.