NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and the 919

  • NC Triangle Dining Food Blog
  • Home
    • Blog
  • Best Restaurants
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Raleigh, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Durham, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Cary, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Chapel Hill – Carrboro, NC
    • Best Food Specials and Deals in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill
    • Triangle Top Three’s- Bars
  • News
    • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2019 Edition
  • Index of Reviews
    • Cary Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Chapel Hill and Carrboro – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Durham Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Raleigh Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • NC Video Reviews
    • Travel Reviews
  • Food Photos
    • Food Event Photos
    • Memorable Meals for 2019
    • Memorable Meals for 2018
  • About
    • NCTD Blogger- Ron Wen
    • NC Triangle Dining Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog Policy
    • Working with NC Triangle Dining
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog and Social Media Statistics
You are here: Home / Restaurant & Bar Reviews / Cary / First Take: Istanbul Cafe in Cary, a Turkish Dining Delight

August 17, 2017 by Ron Wen

First Take: Istanbul Cafe in Cary, a Turkish Dining Delight

Front of Istanbul Restaurant, Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Front of Istanbul Restaurant, Cary – NC Triangle Dining

While Cary may trail behind Raleigh and Durham in terms of population, it certainly does a fine job in the area of interesting, flavorful ethnic restaurants. Some of my hidden gem faves (Kababish Cafe-Pakistani, Bosphorus-Turkish, Super Wok-Szechuan) are all in Cary! So I wasn’t entirely surprised to hear about a great little restaurant online, Istanbul. Located on Kildaire Farm Roads, it’s 4 1/2 star rating caught my eye so I decide to make a special effort to get out for a tasty lunch visit.

Casual dining room at Istanbul Restaurant, Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Casual dining room at Istanbul Restaurant, Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Istanbul Restaurant is located on the far northern side of Kildaire Farms in what looks like a converted fast food place. This location has gone through several iterations of Mediterranean type restaurants over the years so let’s see how Istanbul Restaurant fares! Inside, the space it clean, tidy but a bit bare so don’t expect too much in the way of ambiance. A large laminated menu is brought to the table and it’s a bi-fold covering a good array of appetizers, soups, entrees and desserts. Pretty much everything at Istanbul Restaurant is between $4 and $15 making it a pretty inexpensive meal. And thankfully, there are pictures on the menu since I’m not entirely familiar with Turkish cuisine. I go with the borek for an appetizer along with a izgara kefte (meatball) main.

Bread and dip at Istanbul Restaurant, Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Bread and dip at Istanbul Restaurant, Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Istanbul Restaurant starts you off with some lovely Turkish bread (seeded) along with a flavorful oil punched up with chopped olives and spices. A simple but great way to get your meal going! My borek come out next and I have never tried these bad-boys before. We’re talking about a long, fried pastry (similar to an egg roll) filled with feta cheese and parsley. Served with a cool yogurt sauce, the borek are both a bit decadent and healthy at the same time!

Borek at Istanbul Restaurant, Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Borek at Istanbul Restaurant, Cary – NC Triangle Dining

It doesn’t take much longer for my main to come out of the kitchen, the kefte (meatball) plate. Made of a mix of beef and lamb, the meatballs nicely seared and oblong in shape. Accompanied by some grilled pepper-tomato, spiced onion, pita bread, bulgur wheat and a simple salad. This plate strikes me as remarkably healthy and typical of a Mediterranean setting. The meatballs are tender and nicely charred on the outside. While I’m not a huge fan of lamb, I like this blend where the lamb just gives the meat some extra flavor. The bulgur rice reminds me of a more toothsome rice pilaf and it looks as if it’s been prepared with some tomato for tang. And the rest of the plate (salad, grilled tomatoes, onion) is a nice accompaniment to the proteins in this meal, delish!

Kebab plate at Istanbul Restaurant, Cary - NC Triangle Dining
Kebab plate at Istanbul Restaurant, Cary – NC Triangle Dining

And while the restaurant was pretty empty, service was very personable and pleasant. You can definitely tell you’re in a family-run restaurant at Istanbul. I left happy and full after this healthy meal! But I have to admit that Istanbul Restaurant is still behind my other Turkish favorite, Bosphorus Cafe. Because while it certainly does home-spun Turkish eats well, it’s a bit more spartan and spare compared to its neighbor down the street. But if you’re in the mood for healthy Turkish eats, I certainly think you’ll have a pleasant and delightful meal here at Istanbul Restaurant…

 

Istanbul Restaurant

914 Kildaire Farm Road

Cary, NC 27511

919.651.9608

Location on Google maps

Last Updated on November 10, 2019

Related

Filed Under: Cary, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Turkish Restaurants

Subscribe to NC Triangle Dining

Popular Reviews

KoKyu Southpoint, Durham: A Fun Eatery for Casual Asian-Fusion Fare Loaded with Flavor

Chicken Bee, Durham – Offering Amazing Korean Fried Chicken on 9th Street

Layered Croissanterie: A Flaky Take on Delectable Pastries for Downtown Raleigh

Don’t Miss

  • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
  • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

New Reviews!

  • A Look Back at the Triangle Food Scene in the Year of COVID
  • Purr Cup Cafe in Raleigh, a Haven for Coffee and Cats
  • Photos: Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard in Raleigh
  • Photos: Amber Flavors & Taste in W. Cary for modern Indian eats!

Connect with NCTD

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

NCTD Email Subscription


Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework