Baklava

Closed, looks like something new is coming!

The food is excellent. The ambiance is very nice. There were a few times the service was a little bit slow, but they were very cordial.
It was the best pita bread I’ve ever had. All the ingredients were very fresh. All the dishes were delicious. The desserts were wonderful.
I recommend it highly.

Decent hummus and good lamb options. Had couple vegetarians in the group and there are only two options in the entire menu. Definitely ask for their tomato relish

I’ve eaten here twice now, and never on a really busy night, so I can’t really speak to the service issues some reviewers have had. On my first visit, I thought everything was good, but not as good as similar dishes I’ve had elsewhere; I pegged it as roughly equivalent to New Kapodokia, where I consistently like the food, but am not totally enthralled by any one dish. On my most recent visit to Baklava, though, I tried the Iskender entrée, and it really blew me away. That’s something I could seriously see myself getting addicted to – the charred meat, the savoury sauce, the thick, lusciously tart yoghurt… it was delicious. So although not everything here is stellar, it’s been solidly good, with a fairly cool wine list and friendly service, and the Iskender is definitely exceptional.

Five of us went out to dinner at Baklava for the first time and were pleasantly surprised at the attentive service and excellent food. We had a large sampler appitizer with many delicious starters. The pita bread they served was warm and fresh. We had several people order lamb dishes that were very good and the salmon was good as well. The risotto was also ordered and enjoyed. The staff was very helpful and friendly. We would all go back again.

Yum! Our new favorite in San Carlos. The service was fantastic, the food was delicious and the owner was so attentive and welcoming. Our waitress had only been there 3 days but so friendly and helpful. You have to try the octopus and the baklava house salad– but honestly everything we had was yummy. Thanks Baklava, we’ll be back!

Great lamb chops, homemade dolmas and the dessert was phenomenal — cant recall the name but I posted a photo. Service was fantastic as well!

Great food and ambiance! We have had nice lunches here and really enjoyed our dinner tonight. Everything was just delicious and they had live music as well. This is «Evvia» of San Carlos! You must go!

Came here with coworkers for a lunch. I got the Gyro Plate with consisted of lamb and beef slices over rice. Grilled veggies on the side. The meat was ok, I think I got all lamb because it was all gamey tasting. The rice and veggies were fine as well. The food was good, there was nothing to really WOW me and be make me yearn it. Staff was attentive and very friendly. I’d definitely come back again but just won’t be craving it as far as I know.

Since the change from the old name (not sure about ownership) better quality and lower prices. Had lunch with in laws and loved it. Don’t over order, portions big, bread basket and dip great! I’ll be back.

Awesome food

Baklava was a random gem of a find. My bf and I happened to be out on a Saturday night trolling Laurel St. for a new place to eat. We were actually on our way to an adjacent restaurant but were drawn in by the fancy lava/​flame heater outside the restaurant. We approached the entrance looking for a menu but decided it wasn’t necessary after scanning the beautiful, rustic interiors which were adorned with artful pieces on the wall, dimly lit sconces and other harmonious accents and motifs appropriate for Turkish/​Greek cuisine. We were greeted and seated by a soft spoken, cute blonde by the name of Virginia who was also our server.
We asked Virginia to bring us a bottle of savignon blanc of her preference. She brought us a bottle of Newharbor Marlborough from New Zealand which had a lovely bouquet of citrus, passionfruit and guava flavors– an excellent choice for our dinner.
The menu here consists of an extensive choice of fresh, tasty dishes giving you a nuance of flavors with each bite. They must make the pita bread there too. It arrived soft, hot and obviously fresh in a cute basket nestled under a cloth napkin. The tomato based dipping sauce was light and like no other tomato based dipping I’d tasted before. I wish I could be more descriptive about what was in it, but unfortunately I don’t know other than the fact that is now one of my favorite dippings now! I’m going to ask what’s in it next time I come.
Our Turkish/​Greek culinary adventure consisted of the following:
Baba Ghanoush — This is a dish for speading on your pita bread. It consisted of eggplant, tahini oil, yogurt and garlic. It was good but not one of my favorites. I was more interested in the tomato dipping conglomeration.
Octapodaki — We loved the grilled octopus! Some thick legs arrived soft and pliable to cutting with a knife. It was lightly flavored with lemon, oregano and olive oil.
Kaburga — These are lamb ribs which were seasoned with lemon and oregano. I’d never had them this way, but they were so juicy and delectable down to the bone. Yes, we cleaned the bones off.
They had a lentil soup special which sold me instantly. I love soup and undoubtedly knew it would have a satisfying medley of flavors. It had a creamy texture and a load of spices which I cannot pick out other than the high presence of mint which was a unique, interesting touch.
I also must mention halfway through our meal, there was singer who started singing live vocals to authentic Turkish music which was an excellent addition to the perfect ambiance here already. This is a perfect place for a first date (reasonable prices) or just a night out with your significant other. It’s not too loud but not too quiet either. Our experience here was excellent. We look forward to many more in the future!

Our first visit to this Turkish and Greek restaurant. The ambiance, service and food were excellent. Some of our menu selections included the lentil soup with mint, baklava salad with lettuce added, the chicken kabobs, and the halibut. The main entrees were served with an arugula salad that was so fresh and delicious and these fabulous Greek potatoes. Definitely a fabulous find!

My boyfriend and I came here for lunch on a Friday afternoon and were extremely pleased with the entire experience. The waiter brought us warm bread, tapenade and our wine right away. He was very friendly and gave us good ordering tips. We ordered three appetizers and split the trout special (which was amazingly moist). EVERY item that was brought to us was fresh, warm and oh so delicious! We really like the décor as well. I thought the lunch prices were very reasonable, especially for the quality of food. We had 3 apps, 1 entrée, 3 glasses of wine and a latte for $ 60. I highly recommend trying it,

Wonderful food, wonderful ambiance, wonderful service.
I couldn’t be more pleased with my recent experience at Baklava. Our server was very attentive to my dietary needs and generously threw in an appetizer and dessert with no charge to our bill. The atmosphere is as warm as the people who work here, and the hummus is creamy as can be. You won’t be disappointed with your meal or experience here.

Food was so-​so and overpriced. Service was good. We were there on a Friday night and was easily seated at 715p. Restaurant was 80% full. Ordered 3 appetizers: red pepper dip (spiciness masked the flavors of the peppers and etc. ingredients), tabouleh (ok) and artichoke hearts w/​frozen peas and carrots on top (bland!). We enjoyed our entrees a bit more: lamb shank (delicious) and baked eggplant stuffed w/​beef (flavorful) at $ 21 and $ 14, respectively. With a glass of very mediocre turkish wine ($ 12), our meal came out to be over $ 70 w/​o tip. Pricey for what averaged to be an ok meal but not fantastic.

I was surprised when the Bakalava Palo Alto disappeared. But now they are in San Carlos. Came with the co-​worker and we loaded up. Kibbeh, kofta, lamb kabob special and lamb souvlaki. Looks like they’re treading into more Greek/​Lebanese and other territories besides just Turkish now. Missing is the Iskender (at least from lunch) which was my favorite. Everything was solid as expected and they offered us two types of bread with their special tomato condiment which was awesome. Surprised not a lot of people have reviewed it, as it’s now one of the better dining options on the upper Laurel St area.

I really don’t like slamming a pretty place with nice staff. They clearly consider themselves a high-​end establishment, with a casual/​Cal-​Med vibe. Here’s why only 2 stars…
Early Thursday evening — warm welcome at the door, warm and intelligent guidance on the menu, very few people in the restaurant, our orders go in and… crickets… then server comes back with «what was your order again?» (ok, it happens), then… crickets (i.e. NOTHING IS HAPPENING). My wine comes — thank you. I think we waited 30 minutes for our food… possibly more. It was VERY slow, and this was with only 3 tables filled besides ours. Did anyone stop by? Nope. Offer a salad, or an explanation? Nope.
By the time our food arrived the restaurant *had* filled to around 40−50% capacity and that was the last we saw of our server. My lamb shank took forever and was nowhere near fall off the bone — it was firm and gamey. Not enough cooking time. (Big problem right now. The kitchen is very slow — obviously that’s where the problems start). But the sauce was pleasant and given the «soupy» nature of the dish, it needed a big spoon. I asked for one and… crickets again! Finally flagged down busboy with mad waving of arms.
Portion imbalance: My lamb shank was huge (and undercooked). Husband’s kebab was perfectly cooked and… lunch portion for an X-​Ray blond. Very modest portion for the price. Why the imbalance? (let me guess. lamb shank is cheap?).
I would have been DELIGHTED to order a second glass of wine (to wash down the too-​firm lamb in giant portions). Nobody asked — they were swirling around the room ignoring us. I would have expected some words from the staff about why the kitchen was so terribly slow. Nada.
Then I finally gave the host/​pinch-​hitter a clue. When he asked «how is it so far» (while walking away and not listening) and I said «it’s okay…» and he said nothing… then he comes and says «Are you done?» And I said «Um. yes. You’re obviously really busy so I think we should get the check EARLY.»
NOW HEAR THIS: WHEN YOU HEAR A DINER SAY THOSE WORDS, this should be your clue (when you run a fine dining establishment and not a diner), to get down on one knee and ask — beg — your customer to tell you what’s wrong, or to offer a complimentary coffee… or have some kind of dialog with them that indicates you understand how to…
1. Sell food, and
2. Establish a relationship with your diner.
Fix the kitchen problems, yes — do that. Then ask yourselves these questions.
1. Why can’t 3 men handle that small a room at 40% capacity, and
2. Why did we let the new customers leave without acting like we give a cr** about their dining experience?
:(Such a pretty room. Such an apparently smart/​friendly server (initially). Such a disappointment.

I can eat Turkish food everyday. It is healty, tasty and diverse.
Here is a review for the *One of the Best Turkish Restaurant in the Bay Area*
Why this place gets 5 stars because there are several reasons
1. Ambiance is amazing. It is bright inside with many traditional art pieces. Once you step in inside, you feel the difference.
2. Great People. Yesterday was a grand opening, and I had a chance to met chef and owner Ilker aka Illiano. Not only he is a great chef, but also a down to earth person.
3. Food quailty, Something I cannot explain. You have to go and try. GO!
4. Service, One thing about Turkish people they are nice!
5. Ask them to get Turkish tea on house :) They won’t say no.
Enjoy,

Finally another Turkish restaurant in San Carlos to fill the void that was left by Pilita Grill closing. Ironically Pilita Grill was once owned (along with a partner) by the same person as this restaurant is now. I don’t know the reasons in which it closed nor am I going to speculate, I’m just going to enjoy the fact that this place is now here.
The restaurant is fairly small with seating for 50 – 60 people with tables both inside and out. They have both a Lunch and Dinner menu and as this is also the owner of the Baklava that was once in Palo Alto but also recently closed, or moved for a better term of words the food is same. Mezes, Salads and Kebabs along with the typical Turkish dishes like Dolma and Moussaka can be found here.
The Fresh Bread (
) and Tomato Herb dip (
) that are served as soon as you are seated are delicious but be careful! The bread comes out very hot.
Chicken Souvlaki (
) comes with Lemon Roasted Potatoes and Bay leaf salad. The chicken was cooked and seasoned nicely and salad lightly dressed but I’m not so sure about the Potatoes, they tasted a bit weird and I would have much preferred Rice instead. The small pot of Tzatziki was a nice addition and very tasty, albeit somewhat confusing as you don’t often see it in Turkish restaurants.
Baklava Shish Kebab (
) Has a nice variation of meats (Beef, Chicken, Lamb & Kofte) and comes with a small selection of Vegetables and Rice. Again meats cooked nicely but the Rice had a weird flavor too, almost flour-​y.
Although the food is good and the portions are enough I feel they are slightly over priced for what you get but with that said I can almost forgive that seeing as the staff are very friendly and attentive.
I’m still to try the desserts here, I make the same mistake every time of filling up on the delicious bread and succulent meat that I don’t have room for anything else but seeing a neighboring table have some they look delicious. One of these days I will have one of the Baklava here!