Efe Grill | Turkish cuisine in an outdoor setting

Gratifying grills, sumptuous salads and decadent desserts are what make Turkish cuisine so appealing. Last week I was all about Turkish with back to back tastings of this delectable fare. The first one on my list was Efe Grill Restaurant in Jumeirah.

If you’ve driven past Park n Shop on Wasl Road, that’s where Efe Grill is located. A beautiful outdoor setting with wooden accents (and coolers to tackle the heat), Efe Grill prides itself on cooking up some of the best Turkish grills in town. Chef Youssef, who has been creating culinary magic for many years now, brought us the bestsellers from the restaurant.

Salads

To start on a light note, we ordered the classic fattoush and mixed green salads that were both fresh and generous. I have always been a big fan of the fattoush bits and this is what impressed me the most in this salad as well. Moreover the dressing was just right – enough to add the flavor but not too much to douse the veggies in it.

Mezze

As with any Turkish dinner, our next stop was mezze. We chose three different cold mezze from their list which included the classics – Hummus, Baba Ghanouj and Moutabal.

The hummus, in my opinion was really creamy and made a great accompaniment to their oversized baked sesame bread. I loved the addition of pickles to the hummus (something I haven’t seen anywhere else), but certainly missed the chickpeas. Whole boiled chickpeas would definitely would definitely add a nice bite.

The baba ghanouj offered a nice tarty taste. Loved the addition of pomegranate seeds that contrasted the flavor of eggplant, while also adding a crunchy texture.

Very classic in taste, the moutabal is one that has always been my favorite, mainly for its resemblance to baingan bharta. This one scored a complete 10!

Grilled Chicken

The chef’s favorite (and ours too) was this grilled chicken. Juicy, tender and basted in just the right mix of Turkish spices, this one was chef’s signature dish. The beauty with which the meat effortlessly fell off the bone is what makes this a must have. His special recipe and secret ingredients took the taste to a whole new level.

Grilled Red Snapper

Turkish cuisine offers a lot of options for seafood lovers alike. Just like this red snapper. This fish was grilled with lemon slices stuffed in the center, that lend a tangy flavor. Just like the chicken, the grilling was so perfect here, the meat simply melted in our mouth.

Mixed Lamb Grills

When it came to the mixed grill platter, we were all excited to try out the different lamb options. The lamb chops were great – very well done. But our favorite was the kebab. Try it as a sandwich with their bread and hummus, and you’ll love it. The mutton cubes were just alright.

Desserts

For desserts, we were offered a selection of Kunefe and Katmer along with the famous Turkish ice cream. The ice cream was just perfect for the temperature – cool, refreshing and soothing. Plus it had walnut pieces, which apart from being my favorite, also added a nice crunch.

The ice cream paired well with Katmer, although I found it a little too sugary. The Kunefe surprisingly was not as sugary or cheesy. I definitely preferred the latter over the former.

Efe Grill

Location: Near Jumeirah Park n Shop, Al Safa Centre, Al Wasl Road, Al Safa, Dubai
Contact: 04 3803030

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