Peachy Picks Turks and Frogs Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
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Earlier today, we featured the Chandelier of Turks & Frogs in Chandelier Peachy:
We might be the only ones around that are so obsessed with Chandeliers that they have their own column!
The Osman Cakir hit parade of venues specializing in fine beverages continues on Whom You Know, and you'll remember it began with Peachy Picks Orient-Express. Turks and Frogs was first featured in Tasty Tidbits:
and it has graduated to Peachy's Picks because of its dedication to bringing you the best wine in a beautiful setting (complete with a panoramic view of Istanbul from the 1800's and a 1714 copper plate) with companionable cuisine of Mediterranean appetizers that will delight all guests. They do say the Mediterranean Diet is among the best! Turks and Frogs was originally opened in 2003 as an Antique shop concentrating on Turkish and French pieces, and in 2004 became one of the first fine wine bars in Manhattan and we are pleased to have made its acquaintance.
As it was a hot summer day on the day we visited, Peachy preferred to start with a crisp white. Sancerre is among her favorite varieties since she prefers full-bodied wine, and this Sancerre, Les Boucaults 2011 proved to be highly aromatic enlivening our senses. Peachy Deegan detected notes of peach and pear and it's hard not to love a solid white from France. Note that the wine selection in general is extensive and does have a superb representation from Turkey, many of which are available by the bottle, as owner Osman Cakir is from Istanbul. We ordered by the glass.
We always eat when we drink and to that end, we ventured to try the Mercimek Kofte, which we were not familiar with. They are pureed red lentil balls with fresh scallion, onions and parsley. Quite refreshing on a warm day, these had a lovely consistency and a hint of mint. We think you should try them too!
A special of the night was the Tuna Tartare, which was absolutely superlative and arranged beautifully as well. Very fresh, this tuna tartare was completely irresistible and Peachy's personal favorite of what she ate at Turks and Frogs. Her vote is to add it as a permanent member of the menu.
We were also intrigued by the Smoked Eggplant Salad, with light garlic, red pepper and olive oil. We are huge proponents of garlic and would have even encouraged more. Served with fresh flat bread, this did hit the spot and we think it would be fantastic any day around the year.
If you are a fan of The Bachelorette, Osman tells us one of the prior seasons had a filming at Turks & Frogs...we hope Des has better luck next Monday than she did this past one.
Next, Peachy Deegan tried this American Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley. It was every sip as robust and full as we had hoped, and it we liked it even better than the Sancerre.
We love how the hot sandwiches are served with a green salad! Four spectacular choices are available and Peachy Deegan chose the Atom Toast: Beef sausage, sliced pastrami with cheese hot pressed in ciabatta bread. It is something simple done right. Every element was fresh and this is especially terrific with red wine we believe.
The right night usually ends in chocolate many would agree.
We cut the three pieces of chocolate in half that we were presented with, and the darkest on the right was Peachy's favorite!
Our esteemed panelist adds:
If you are looking for a charming and slightly exotic twist on your normal wine bar then Turks & Frogs is for you. This lovely Mediterranean inspired wine bar is just perfect. Tucked in the West Village, you will quickly wish this was your neighborhood joint. Formally a Turkish and French antiques shop, you can still see remnants of its former past as antique chandlers, photos and prints decorate the walls.
The wine list is extensive, offering a wonderful sampling of red, white, rose, and sparkling wines from around the world. I was delighted to learn about the many offerings from Turkey, a region from where I am not too familiar with their wines. I started with a delightful rose, Calkarasi-Aegen, LAL 2011. It was perfect for a summer evening, light and refreshing yet not too sweet. It paired well with the beautiful fresh appetizers I sampled. The Mercimek Kofte was a unique blend of puréed red lentils, fresh scallion, onions and parsley. Served as small balls, these were great, fresh, filling with a tiny hint of spice. I also tried the Smoked Eggplant Salad, a very fresh blend of eggplant with light garlic, red pepper and olive oil, served with warm pita bread. It was bursting with flavor and had a great light fluffy texture, perfect to scoop with pita.
I was also able to try the special of the evening, Tuna Tartar. This generous portion of fresh Tuna was mixed with tomato and avocado, served with cucumber slices. It was very delicious, just right for a summer appetizer. Turks & Frogs also features a great selection of cheeses and hot sandwiches.
I tried a glass of Pinot Noir, Schug,Sonoma Coast, 2010. This light bodied wine paired wonderfully with the Hindili Toast, a tasty hot pressed sandwich of sliced turkey and kasar cheese on ciabatta bread.
And what perfect evening with wine wouldn't be complete without chocolate? Turks & Frogs features assorted chocolate plates to end your evening on a sweet note. In my opinion nothing is finer than red wine and dark chocolate. Turks & Frogs gets my vote for being a top notch establishment, perfect for a relaxed evening with friends or a romantic night out.
Peachy Picks Turks and Frogs!
Turks and Frogs is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
