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Three-dimensional triangular panes of glass alternating in convex and concave zigzags create an eye-catching façade through which passersby can examine Turkish Kitchen's sumptuous, sunken dining room, which is bathed in the Turkish flag's blazing shade of red. Red fabric drapes over the seats and the red walls are lined with dangling cobalt blue candleholders and vases full of daffodils. Dim spotlights complete the beguiling effect and set the stage for the enticing eats to come. Well-suited for nibbling and sharing, the wide array of cold and hot appetizers covers delicately spiced, creamy yogurts and pastes—like hummus and mashed eggplant—as well as stuffed vegetables or Içli Köfte, grainy, warm wheat patties filled with ground lamb, pine nuts, black currants, and walnuts. Next up are their marvelous meats. The Yogurtlu Karisik lets you sample two for one—thin strips of chargrilled chicken and melt-in-your-mouth lamb over charred pieces of spicy pita bread. Among other skewered and stuffed entrees is the unusual Manti: a dish of tiny, ravioli-like beef dumplings that are unfortunately drowned in a mild mint and sumac sauce. At dessert, the server brings around a platter of puddings, cakes, and shredded wheat confections, dripping with honey and flavored with nuts and apricots. Compliment the sticky sweetness with a cup of bitter, muddy Turkish coffee or have another look at the drink list, notable for a handful of old-fashioned cocktails and the fruity house special. — Kate Appleton

The Kitchen's popular all-you-can-eat Sunday Brunch is practically a steal: $21.95  for heaps of pastries, omelettes, cold mezes, salads, and cold cuts; there's also a $16.95 lunch special from noon-3pm and a $21.95 prix-fixe dinner from 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. And the three-level restaurant reserves the top floor for private parties.

Içli köfte, $7; manti, $16; yogurtlu karisik, $24; kadayif, $7