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Taksim 99 2nd Avenue (between 5th and 6th Streets) 1030 2nd Avenue (between 54th and 55th Streets) Range: $12–$18 per person including taxes and tip Rating: |
What is there to not like about mezze? They use some basic ingredients—chick peas, cucumber, eggplant, goat cheese, yogurt, mint, parsley, bulgur wheat, lemon, and phylo—combined and prepared in various ways that each taste unique. (Mezze are “small plates,” the Middle Eastern version of tapas.)
Taksim, a “Turkish Eatery” that opened a new location in the East Village, offers an assortment of warm and cold mezze in addition to entrees of kebabs and grilled meats. The atmosphere in the East Village location is inviting with tiled floors and stucco-ed walls featuring Turkish-styled frescoes. The wait staff is attentive and pleasant.
The mezze, however, could use some spicing up. The stuffed vine leaves—rolled with rice, mint, and parsley—are probably the best dish on the menu, seasoned nicely and wrapped in fresh, soft grape leaves. The borek, little phylo rolls stuffed with feta, are equally good, although the goat’s milk feta could use some cumin or parsley to cut its pungency.
The eggplant salad (alias, baba ghanoush, but not called that on the menu) has a lovely smoky flavor, as any properly roasted eggplant should. However, Taksim serves it chilled, which is a little disconcerting, and it could use some tahini for some creaminess and maybe some black pepper or cumin for body.
The elephant bean stew (large white beans mixed with tomato) is also served chilled, and like the eggplant salad, something is missing, preventing the dish from having a full body. The same can be said of the lentil balls, served warm and mixed with scallion and parsley—the dish is nice, but it lacks some punch that a little paprika or red chili powder could add.
The leeks are sautéed to soft perfection, and they come mixed with carrots and rice, tossed in olive oil. However, they’re served chilled, which causes the olive oil to congeal somewhat. They could use a touch of cumin or maybe some nutmeg for some earthiness, and a splash of lemon for some zest would be pleasant.
The cacik (pronounced jah-jeek)—a thick, creamy yogurt mixed with cucumber, mint, and garlic—is an appealing side dish. It makes a wonderful dippy sauce for the toasty Turkish bread provided with each meal. (The light, fluffy flatbread is another highlight at Taksim.)
Taksim is a puzzling place. The mezze are consistent—the good dishes are consistently pleasing, while the mediocre dishes are consistently bland. None of the mezze are horrible, but many of them could use an added touch to bring them to life.
Taksim’s mezze can be disappointing on a winter evening when something more hearty would chase away the cold. (Perhaps the kebabs would work.) But I’m sure they’ll work wonderfully on a hot summer day when something cool and fresh is desperately craved.
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