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Dining review: Gengiz Khan has flavorful food, solid service

Tribune photo by CLIFF MCBRIDE

Clockwise from top left, the mixed cold appetizer, Keskul and giro from Gengiz Khan Turkish Restaurant in Tampa.

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By SHERRI ACKERMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 23, 2009

TAMPA - We had just stuffed ourselves on a buffet at Gengiz Khan Turkish Restaurant when our server suggested the Keskul for dessert.

"It's made by a Turkish woman," she offered, as if we needed more encouragement to sample a sweet vanilla pudding topped with pistachios.

As I inhaled each creamy bite, I couldn't help but picture an old woman, her head swathed in a bright hijab, stirring a boiling pot of pudding over a hot stove just like she did in the old country.

Turns out she's only 50, said Ergin Tek, owner and chef of the south Tampa restaurant celebrating its fourth year next month.

She also dresses in more contemporary fashions than many women back home, he said, but her desserts, which include baklava and a cinnamon-sprinkled flan called Kazandibi (or Brown Top Pudding to the rest of us), come from old Turkish family recipes.

It's a nice touch from a place that prides itself on being authentic and fresh.

Despite quality food and good service, Gengiz Khan still seems to struggle with attracting a following. A quick search online found some citizen reviewers who mostly raved about the food, but were conflicted about the service.

Both our visits were top-notch with attentive, knowledgeable waiters, but they were juggling only a few other customers. Good for us.

We were among two tables on a recent Sunday evening. An order of falafel — fried with the lightest batter and served with a delectable hummus — paired with a sweet Kavaklidere Selection Turkish red wine provided a perfect start to our Mediterranean adventure.

The beef shish kebab was a tried-and-true choice flavored with hints of red pepper, but some of us found it a little chewy. The entrée came with a nutty-flavored rice and a rather pedestrian salad with shredded lettuce that made it difficult to eat. The lemon-infused olive oil dressing was either too bland or nonexistent.

The Special Beyti featured delicious hand-chopped lamb aged for two days with red bell peppers and spices, and mixed with parsley, walnut and garlic. The meat was wrapped in a flour tortilla, sliced like sushi and topped with a yogurt and tomato sauce.

"It's not hot," Tek said, and it probably isn't for die-hard heat fans, but I found it spicy and didn't mind one bit.

We finished off our feast with three little squares of baklava. They were good, but we all agreed we'd had better in Tarpon Springs.

Our next visit came during a weekday lunch, where Tek offers a large buffet for $9.95. There were more customers this time, but our service remained efficient.

We had six salads to choose from including the Shepard: shredded romaine with finely chopped tomatoes, cukes, green peppers, red onion and parsley. Hot dishes included baked chicken, and chicken and beef stew, which tasted like it needed to stew a little longer, accompanied by the nutty Turkish rice.

Off the regular menu, we also tried the fried calamari, which was tender but nothing out of the ordinary, and a medium Mediterranean Salad with shredded carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives and the same dressing as above with a healthy sprinkling of feta — which really made such a simple salad special.

Tek plans to spice up the menu with new offerings and lower prices. He also wants to start a Sunday evening special: three 8-inch vegetable and lamb pizza-like pies, baked and rolled up for easy eating and served with a side salad for $10.

It goes perfectly with a glass of Ayran, a traditional Middle Eastern yogurt drink, he said. Or try one of the fruit-flavored Turkish Uludag sodas. We sipped on a lemon-lime one, which was less sweet than a Sprite and so much more refreshing.

DINING REVIEW

Gengiz Khan Turkish Restaurant

BOTTOM LINE: Fresh, flavorful Mediterranean food and top-notch service

WHERE: 6102 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: Yes

ALCOHOL: Beer and wine, including Turkish varieties

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes

PRICE: Entrees range from $10 to $18

CONTACT: Call (813) 805-6400, fax (813) 805-6444, or visit www.gengizkhan.com.

Tribune reviewers eat anonymously. Researcher Buddy Jaudon contributed to this report. Sherri Ackerman can be reached at (813) 259-7144.

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