I have been to Turkuaz quite a few times and have never been disappointed. However, last night sealed the deal for me. Turkuaz is by far, one of the best restaurants that Riverhead has to offer!
Last night was Valentine's Day as well as yet another winter blizzard. I came home from working my Saturday shift at a local brewery to find that my Valentine had in fact made arrangements for the night. I found this to be a surprise since we have both voiced our discontent for what a circus Valentine's dining experiences can be. Even if you make a reservation for 7 pm, you won't be seated until 8 pm. Both the service and the food preparation suffer due to how busy it is. Overall, it tends to be more annoying than enjoyable.
My Valentine said he called Turkuaz and made sure they were still open (because of the snow) and they said they would be open and that we would not require a reservation (AWESOME!). We arrived at about 7:30pm to a completely empty restaurant. This made me ecstatic because the last thing I would've wanted was to walk into a packed out, loud restaurant or an experience akin to what I mentioned before. The fact that the restaurant was empty, in this situation was a good thing because I was already familiar with how good the food is. Under other circumstances, I could see how an empty restaurant on one of the busiest nights for dining out could be a red flag.
We started with some drinks; I ordered a Sauvignon Blanc and my Valentine had an Efes Turkish beer. For appetizers we ordered the hummus and the Turkish cigars. I am a hummus addict and every time I visit Turkuaz, I order the hummus. You just can't beat homemade hummus with fresh, warm pita bread. The Turkish cigars are admittedly a little indulgent, but it was a special occasion. The cigars are thin dough that is rolled around feta and parsley and then pan-fried until golden brown. We find them to be quite delectable. Dave (my aforementioned Valentine) also ordered a cup of the red lentil soup; a go-to for him during each visit.
The staff was nice enough to let us order our appetizers and give us some time to think about our entrée choices. I thought that this was a testament to what a fantastic place this was. We were the only customers in the restaurant during a winter storm, and while I'm sure the entire staff just wanted to pack up and go home for the night, they never made us feel rushed or that we were an inconvenience; even when Dave ordered the Grilled Sea Bass Branzini. Our server informed us that the Sea Bass would take 30 minutes to prepare. We were not concerned about the time, because we didn't have to be anywhere. However, it wasn't until the server left that it occurred to us that by ordering the 30-minute Sea Bass, we might be inconveniencing them. Which made us both feel bad, even though the staff didn't even blink when he confirmed his order. For my entrée, I decided on the Turkuaz Surf & Turf. I enjoy this dish because it gives me a little of everything I want. It's a combination of grilled fresh shrimps and tender lamb chops or lamb shish served with rice and bulgur, fresh salad and beet salad; I chose the lamb shish.
The meals came out with the same amount of love and perfect presentation as would always be expected. Dave's Sea Bass was grilled to perfection! We ordered some baklava to go, as to not keep them any later than we already had. We said many "thank-yous" on the way out, as we were so thankful for the amazing meal and service. When we got in the car, I told Dave I was going to make it a point to write a small Yelp review because I was so impressed with how they treated us and how we had the BEST Valentine's Day because of their warm reception to us, despite us being their only customers and ordering the one meal that takes half an hour to prepare.
Many, many thanks to the staff and owners of Turkuaz! You made our Valentine's Day amazing this year!! Thank you so much for not treating us like we were inconveniencing you, and treating us like we were the most important customers you ever had. I will continue to recommend your restaurant to everyone and anyone. Turkuaz is definitely a hidden gem in Riverhead! Thank you again! read more