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It can be difficult to stand out in a city with so many different ethnic restaurants, so give credit to partners Korkut Colakoglu and Hakan Sezgun for bringing something new to Milwaukee. Tulip, the city's first Turkish restaurant, is located in a renovated building in the Third Ward. Dyed concrete floors and black-painted rafters provide a nice touch, but it's the seating area with leather sofas surrounding a fireplace that gives this restaurant its character. Turkish touches also add to the charm, including reproductions of painted ceramic tiles and colorful glass lamps hanging over the bar.
The restaurant's name refers to the wild tulips native to Asia Minor and Central Asia, and the influences of these regions factor heavily into the cooking. Expect a great diversity of flavors, as Sezgun prepares his Turkish cuisine with finesse. Many of the ingredients can also be found in Greece and the Balkans, once part of the Ottoman Empire. These include phyllo dough, yogurt, eggplant and grape leaves. The kebabs on this menu reflect the tastes of Central Asia.
The essence of good Turkish food can be found in the zeytinyagh yaprak sarmasi ($5). It is a vegetarian version of stuffed grape leaves, thin and filled with rice, currants, pine nuts, cinnamon and dill, then drizzled with olive oil. They are served at room temperature, topped with thin lemon slices and a sprig of flat-leaf parsley. This excellent dish is a true delight.
Turkish food rarely gets spicy, though the pepper spread ($4) makes an attempt. Green peppers serve as the main ingredient, falling somewhere on the thermometer between a mild Mexican poblano and a jalapeño. The purée includes tomato, parsley, onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon and pomegranate juice. It goes well with pieces of thick bread.
Entrees leave vegetarians behind, as they all contain meat, but a selection of appetizers and salads will make a delightful meatless meal perfectly possible. The manti ($11), or ravioli, are slightly bigger than peas, with a filling of ground meat. They come with an enticing sauce of yogurt, garlic and a hint of dill, flavors one will find in Afghan cooking. Döner ($12) is what you would call shawarma in Lebanon and gyros in Greece: thin slices blending roast beef and lamb, minus the large quantities of garlic often found in gyros. It is served with flatbread described as pita, though it is as thin as a tortilla, much like the lavash of Persia. The best entrée sampled was the lamb shank ($14), boneless pieces of meat wrapped in paper-thin slices of eggplant in a rich sauce of tomato and onion.
Entrees include a side starch, mostly rice. Consider adding a soup to round out the meal. The flavorful white bean chili ($4) is a minestrone at heart, with flavorings of garlic, olive oil and onions.
Tulip may be Milwaukee's only Turkish restaurant, but it's not a winner by default. It can be a challenge to find food of this quality even in Istanbul!
TULIP
117 N. Jefferson St.
(414) 273-5252
