Williamsburg gourmands take note – much-loved
Allioli, home of Spanish tapas, has spawned a Turkish sibling
– Nar Meze Bar. Nar means "pomegranate" in Turkish,
a perfect name for the strongly flavored, sweet-and-sour tastes
of the meze, or Turkish hors d’oeuvres the restaurant serves.
The restaurant and bar is modeled on a cicek pasaji, a place
for drinks and meze in Istanbul. Before opening in July, owners
Ayse and Asu Telgeren and Salim Ozgilik unearthed detailed tin
walls and original black-and-white photos of the bar from the
1920s under layers of linoleum paneling. The photographs now
adorn the refurbished tin walls, and a wooden bar from the ’30s
lines one wall.
Belguzar Murat, who, according to Telgeren, "was a five-star
chef in Turkey," serves sarma, or soft grape leaves filled
with rice, pine nuts and currants; midye dolma, mussels cooked
in their own broth then stuffed with rice pilaf mixed with currants,
caramelized onions and fresh herbs; and imam bayildi, pan-fried
baby eggplants filled with onions, red peppers and tomatoes.
Nar Meze Bar (152 Metropolitan Ave. at Berry Street in Williamsburg)
accepts cash only. Meze plates: $4-$9; entrees: $14-$19. The
restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday for dinner. The bar
is open until 4 am. Closed Mondays. For information, call (718)
599-3027.
