Istanbul Palace

http://www.istanbulpalace.net/

After seeing an add in the sidebar of LEO suggesting the likes of a purely Turkish restaurant existing in Louisville, KY, I creeped onto google.com to read reviews and see what Istanbul Palace was all about. Apparently it’s all about 5/5 stars and incredibly good Mediterranean cuisine!

So on a whim, after a 6-mile jog, and no shower, I pulled my family into the car, drove around Goose Creek Road for about 5 minutes at the corner of Goose Creek and Westport Road looking for this restaurant to realize that it’s on the southwest corner of the intersection. We enter at about 6:15pm and there is not a car in the parking lot or a person in sight. I give my family the right to veto… this is not a good sign on a Friday night. But instead, we take a seat, order the meze plate, and are blown away by what we’ve discovered. I looooove the baba ganouj, my mother the Haydari, and all of us the humus. The bread I could take or leave (it was homemade, though). The falafel was sensation – definitely the best in town because it was fresh, not too oily or dry, and full of rich flavors.

For our entrees, which came out quickly, my father and I endeavored the Doner. This took me back to my roots in France from two summers ago when I would – on extremely rare occasions – indulge in a fabulous gyro made with the saltiest, lamb/beef mixture right from the turning spit as it glistens in the sun. Takes me back to my mammalian roots! The meat was good, salty, but the favor slowly grew on me. My dad was hooked from the start.

What resulted in silence and a foodgasm on my part, though, was  the shish tawook. Having ordered this at safier before and experienced a firm love for the dish, I was blown away this time by the perfect tender, juicy, flavor that this chicken elicited. Wow! Highlight of the year, taste wise. This definitely resulted in my thinking that Istanbul Palace is the go-to Mediterranean place of Louisville, which a teacher at St. Francis High School who frequents Yafa and Safier downtown confirmed with me.

Go there noooooow!

But if you want something a little closer into town and with more than two locations, why don’t you give  Shiraz a try?