It’s always nice to go to a family-run restaurant for the warmth and home-cooking but sometimes a drawback is a less than professional waitstaff or experience. Bosphorus in downtown Cary brings the best of both worlds: the warmth of a family restaurant along with great service and food! Located just a bit outside of downtown Cary off of Harrison Avenue, Bosphorus is very unassuming from the outside. Inside, it’s about the same: pics of Turkey dot the walls, tables covered with white paper and basic booths. A humble interior that belies the wonderful food at Bosphorus! When I enter, I’m immediately greeted by the gentleman running the front of the house, menus are brought out along with a glass of cold water in a flash.
While I wait for my friends I scan the menu and while the menu doesn’t look that much different than other Medi eateries, there are some slight differences. Bosphorus has some seafood on the menu along with Turkish pizzas (pide) in a variety of flavors. After my friends arrive, our orders are taken quickly. We’re going with a lamb chunk pide for the table and I do the Adana kebab (spicy, beef-lamb) plate. From the dining room you can see directly back into the kitchen and catch all the activity and preparation. Bosphorus is small, maybe 10 or 12 tables which means this place can fill up quickly for lunch.
The lamb chunk pide arrives and it’s a generous, boat-shaped pie with a fluffy crust. On top there’s tomato, peppers, red onions and parsley along with the tender lamb. Overall a delicious pie or flat-bread bursting with flavor. My entree shows up a bit later and it’s a good-looking kebab, seared nicely with bulgur pilaf, a salad and some cucumber sauce. The meat is tender and perfectly grilled for some char flavor. I’m not a huge lamb fan but this kebab disappears quickly, yum! Paired with the nutty bulgur pilaf, you’ve got a flavorful and healthy meal here at Bosphorus!
Service is good all-around but the place does slow down a bit with a full house, the one slight negative to a small family-run place but totally understandable given how good the food at Bosphorus is. All I can say is that I am really glad to have tried Bosphorus out and will be back to try more from the menu. Bosphorus dishes out some wonderful ethnic food with great heart and love, it’s a wonderful option if you’re in the area or willing to trek into Cary a bit. Don’t miss this wonderful family eatery for their satisfying Turkish cuisine!
Ami Arnold says
This is my favorite restaurant on my list of top 5 places to eat. OF ALL TIME.
The food, the service, the all around warmth of the experience makes me crave it every week. The food…I know I said that… but it is hearty and fresh with spices I cannot name. I love it.
Ron Wen says
Ahh yeah, I love Bosphorus, Ami! I sort of wish they could expand but it would probably lose a lot of the charm. That parking lot can be killer at times to find a space…
Ron