For the last several weeks, I watched as a nondescript-looking place with “Shish Ke Baba Turkish Grill” on the awning got built out on the historically difficult corner of 30th and San Jose. Today, at lunchtime, I was walking by and noticed they were finally open! So I went in for a peek, not expecting much.
The sight of 8 different types of lokum/Turkish delight, along with 5 different homemade pastries in the dessert case, quickly disabused me of the notion that this place wasn’t serious about Turkish food. Who would turn out to be manning the grill but Chef Vahit of Mangal Mediterranean and Eden’s in the Tenderloin! They’ve been open at this location about a week and a half.
They aren’t currently making some of the more unusual items from Eden’s like the liver kebap, so I went with the chicken schwarma wrap, which was as good as always. The homemade pistachio/honey pastry was also very good. This space is much roomier and more modern than the places in the Tenderloin, so maybe eventually they will be able to add some of the old items to the menu in addition to the usual old standby kebaps.
