Eat of the week: Jaan Turkish Cafe

When we were growing up, my mother didn’t bake. We didn’t have an oven. We didn’t eat delicious trifles, rich chocolate cakes, brownies … so now that I’m master of my own kitchen, I’m making up for lost time.

But you know what is now special and exotic in my world?

Baklava.

Sinfully soft, flaky, sweet and rich – without being excessively cloying – the baklava at Jaan were so good, they never had a chance to be snapped. Paired with rich vanilla ice cream, fresh grapes and a slice of orange, it was the perfect accompaniment to our Mediterranean lunch.

Every single dish on the menu sounded amazing, from the veggie moussaka to the shish kebabs. We ended up going with an open lamb sandwich and mixed mezza platter; both were packed with the freshest of vegetables and supersoft naan bread bursting with garlicky goodness. Flavourful falafel, hummus and sauces rounded off the plates, with a couple of odd little skinny spring rolls.

The single Chinese-looking, Middle Eastern-accented waitress was efficient and attentive, while the venue itself is all rich wood panelling with plenty of sunlight (I was a little blinded facing out of the massive wall-length windows).

And, most importantly, the prices are reasonable, in the $10-20 range for lunch.

Jaan Turkish Cafe, 505 New North Rd, Kingsland.