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Fine Food, Culture And Turkish Delights

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By JAN HOLLINGSWORTH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 16, 2008

PLANT CITY - Somewhere beneath the hum of dinner conversation, the muted strains of ney flutes and harmoniums announce the show is about to begin.

The diners look up from heaping plates of hummus, couscous, kebabs and cupra - some puzzled, others expectant - as "Misha" glides into the room, a silver basket balanced on her head. It is the belly dancer's version of a tip jar.

The music rises, the lights dim, and for the next 15 minutes, the night belongs to Melissa Cain, whose alter ego, Misha, mesmerizes the Saturday night crowd with a taste of the Middle Eastern slinks and shimmies that complement the extraordinary cuisine.

With gas topping $4 a gallon, folks have to travel no farther than the local Days Inn off Interstate 4 for an exotic night out at the Turquoise Mediterranean Grill. Here, the infusion of food and culture has transformed an otherwise mundane motel restaurant into a singular experience.

"I consider the place an undiscovered treasure," said Amber Ballinger, better known in local belly dancing circles as "Cerice Janan".

Ballinger heads Troupe Bal Hepsi, a Tampa Bay area dance ensemble that performs at festivals, weddings, parties and other special events.

Most recently, Misha and other members of the troupe have found a regular Saturday night gig at the Turquoise Grill, which specializes in authentic Turkish-style Mediterranean cuisine and Middle Eastern hospitality.

"It is like you are coming to my home to eat," said Berna Nar, whose kitchen wizardry earned her and husband Erkan a devoted following at their previous eatery, a small sandwich shop in the downtown historical district.

The Turkish couple operated The SubClub at Reynolds and Palmer streets for four years, offering a popular selection of hot and cold subs, soups and salads.

Berna Nar's tiny kitchen also turned out lentil balls, couscous, zucchini pate, feta rolls, eggplant and a seemingly endless array of Mediterranean specialties.

However, there was a limit to what Nar could produce on a two-burner hot plate. She yearned for a real commercial kitchen, with a six-burner stove.

Erkan Nar wanted to take the business to the next level - a bistro offering fish, kebabs, lamb chops and other grilled Mediterranean entrees.

"I'm very happy with the kitchen," Berna Nar said. "It's much easier to prepare meals, and I know I can create many different items. I just want to give people different, healthy foods. People with cholesterol problems can eat it. Vegetarians and meat-lovers can eat it."

Nar is fastidious about her ingredients. The cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil not only must be Italian - it must come from the right part of Italy.

Nearly every day she is scouring the farmer's market for herbs and spices, including fresh basil, rosemary and thyme.

Dried mint is flown in from Turkey.

"I can't find good fresh mint leaves here," she said.

Virtually everything is made from scratch. Fresh tomatoes are marinated for two weeks before they are turned into sauce. Fresh lamb and veal also are marinated for two days until fork-tender.

Salad fixings are organic. Soups start in a stock pot.

Baklava, flan, rice pudding and Turkish ice cream all are homemade.

"It takes more time and effort to do these things, but we wanted this so much. We're trying to make a name here," she said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Turquoise Mediterranean Grill
WHERE: 301 S. Frontage Road, Plant City, on the south side of Interstate 4 between the State Road 39 (also known as Wheeler Street) and Park Road exits

HOURS: 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday

ENTERTAINMENT: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays, Turkish Cabaret Belly Dancing

MEALS: Breakfast, $3 to $5.75; lunch and dinner, $4.95 to $18.95; dessert, $1.25 to $5.95. Food is available for dine in or take out

CALL: (813) 659-8400

WEB SITE: www.Turquoise MedGrill.com

Reporter Jan Hollingsworth can be reached at (813) 865-4436 or jhollingsworth@tampatrib.com.

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