This past year I’ve really adjusted my diet to be more vegetable-focused and less emphasis on meat. There are a lot of reasons I chose to make this lifestyle change, but one promise I made to myself was that at no point would I ever compromise flavor.
That’s where Alaturco comes in. I’ve always LOVED their food, and usually when ordering I’d choose the traditional gyro doner sandwich or the mixed grill with all of the meats. But once my focus shifted to vegetable-focused meals, I changed my tune a bit and started ordering a little differently.
The thing about Mediterranean food is that whole foods and veggies are usually the focus anyway which is preeettyyy cool. Tabbouleh, babaganoush, falafel! The list goes on and on, but you don’t need me to name all of them. Instead, I’m gonna tell you my go-to orders at Alaturco so you know what to get next time you’re there!
If dining in only, I recommend:
- Vegetable Gyro (Sandwich) – The only reason I don’t recommend ordering it for take out is because it tends to get a little soggy. If you’re into that kind of thing, go for it and get it for take out too!
Dine in/Take out:
- Vegetable Saute – yes, yes, and YES. All of the veggies sauteed in a tomato sauce served with bulgar wheat and seasoned rice.
- Falafel Platter – it’s falafel, plus rice and salad. You can’t lose with this one!
- Hummus and Pita – this hummus is hella good. And you don’t just get a little… this is a HUGE portion of hummus, so prepare to have enough to last you a couple of days.
- Lentil Soup – it took me far too long to order this, but once I did I’m not sure I can ever go and not start my meal with some lentil soup from Alaturco. It’s pureed and light with Turkish seasonings and fresh herbs. I love it.
- Hunkar Bengendi – this dish is gluttonous without actually being gluttonous. Fire-roasted eggplant is pureed with kashar cheese to make a delightful base and then you have a choice of meat or vegetable ragout.
Listen, even if you’re not looking to up your vegetable intake, Alaturco is a real gem of a restaurant and I highly recommend it. If you haven’t been there yet and have commented on my Instagram posts saying that you want to… just do it already! I guarantee you won’t regret it.
No Comments