Turkish food in the making
Entertainment at Troy’s Turkish Kitchen
The reality of visiting Turkey might only be a distant dream for those who know that they will probably never get a chance to visit the country, but the truth is, Turkey is only right around the corner.
Turkish cuisine and culture are not highly-recognized in the Connecticut area as they are in specific parts of Boston or New York where there is a more concentrated Turkish population, but as hard as it is to believe, Turkish focused restaurants can actually be found in some parts of Connecticut.
Troy‘s Turkish Kitchen in West Haven, Conn. is one of those restaurants that gives customers a taste of what it is like to be immersed in Turkish culture, and brings those who have ever visited Turkey or people who come from the country back to that unforgettable place and time.
From the entertainment to the food, Troy’s Turkish Kitchen captures the essence of the unique culture.
The outside of the restaurant is enough to drive people away whereas it is looks small and dingy, but the ambiance and the delicious food that you find once you step inside is enough to keep you there for countless hours.
Turkish cuisine, as some might already know, strikes a combination between vegetarian offerings that uses ingredients such as yogurt, eggplant, chickpeas, and grape leaves, and juicy pieces of savory kebabs made of lamb or chicken, all of which can be found on the restaurant’s menu.
The menu, which is anything but short of skimpy, offers an array of soups and salads and moves on to about a dozen appetizers that are the pride of the house. The entrée’s are comprised of an assortment of kebabs, specialty dishes and seafood dishes. Baklava is one of the most wanted desserts on the menu, and a meal would not be complete without a cup of Turkish coffee, a centuries-old ritual that allows your fortune to be told just by looking at the cup.
Some of my favorite appetizers on the restaurant’s menu include babaganoush, a spread and dip that is similar to hummus but is made with eggplant instead of chickpeas and is sprinkled with a dash of olive oil and sun dried tomatoes and served with warm slices of pita bread; and lahmacun, a Turkish-styled pizza topped with ground lamb and chopped vegetables on a very thin and crisp crust that is spiked with lemon juice and colored with parsley.
As a main course, the restaurant serves a wonderful doner kebab made of lamb that is another favorite of mine. Most of the entrée’s, including this one, are served on a bed of pilaf and pita bread. The doner kebab is also garnished with tomato, onions, cucumbers and green peppers.
But not only is the food offered at the restaurant an authentic element, so is the service. Troy’s Turkish Kitchen is owned by a Turkish family who came to the United States only 20 years ago, enabling customers to experience the true uniqueness of the people as well as the food.
Even though the servers speak little English, they are always enthusiastic about serving visitors who are eager to get a taste of the culture. The menu is pretty self-explanatory and easy to read as well.
The television that is mounted on the far right wall is always showing Turkish soap operas or Turkish music videos, and on Friday and Saturday nights starting at 9 p.m., Troy’s Turkish Kitchen hosts live belly dancing by professional belly dancers to either live or taped music. Vendors selling belly dancing apparel, custom jewelry and Turkish CD’s are also present and only add to the rich atmosphere of the restaurant.
I highly recommend visiting Troy’s Turkish Kitchen to anyone that is interested in getting a feel for the culture at a very reasonable price.
A Tour of Ethnic and Exotic Restaurants 
