Please accept my sincerest apologies for the prolonged lapse in my communications lately; I really have no excuse for my latency, but trust me when I say that I have a great backlog of information waiting to split a few culinary wigs in this one-horse town. That said, let me quickly divert from my usual overtones of despair and lament and share some much-needed joy with Augusta and her residents!
Hark! In yonder distance, not too far from my humble homestead, (almost) comfortably located near Washington and I-20, lies a den of culinary delight of a variety that is near and dear to my heart: Turkish cuisine. Mediterranean food is a joy by any slant of the term, but Turkish is one of my absolute favorite interpretations of this ancient and undeniably delicious tradition of food preparation.
Please allow me to preface by saying that Augusta has no shortage of Mediterranean food establishments. That said, the trick so very often seems to lie in the finding of the one which seems to be cutting the fewest corners in terms of their food and the quality of ingredients. Well, I have good news. A solution to this conundrum has been revealed to me, and it is Ephesus. And as far as I can tell from my first visit, late in the evening, no less, my initial and apparently very lasting first impression is that no corners are being cut here, not a single one. And I don't say that often.
Now, let me say that although I am as white as an Ed Sheeran parody (minus the ginger), I am no slouch on the subject of Mediterranean food; aside from having firsthand experience in the region, and aside from experience as an avid seeker of wonderful Mediterranean food in America, I am reasonably well-versed in the cooking techniques, ingredients and recipes from areas ranging from North Africa to Greece to Turkey to Italy to Sicily to Lebanon to Israel, to well...you name it. Okay, humbling caveat: I am at least as well-versed as an American home cook could be, anyway. But I definitely know that the flavors are savory, bold, passionate, confident, just like the people of the region.
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| My own Homemade Chicken Shawarma with Pearl Cous Cous and Cucumber Salad |
As such, when I try Mediterranean food, my senses hone straight on into the spirit of the region; that spirit is one of a lack of waste, of community and passion, of an appreciation for freshness, and a deep, time-tested penchant for the mastery of meat marination coupled with an inherent knowledge of how to gracefully cook over an open flame and yet still yield beautifully tender meats. And sadly, so far, only a very few restaurants in this Augusta market have even come close to fitting that daunting bill. Well, fortunately, we've been granted respite from this trend, and Ephesus is here to stay. Or so I desperately hope and pray. Augusta has a sickening track record of ignoring budding beauty and falling back on familiar, stale, antiquated, nostalgia-driven dives. Oh, the sorrow.
Now, to the business at hand! My wife and I got the rare chance to have a date night out tonight, and we decided to try the newest local name in Mediterranean food: Ephesus. Although we arrived relatively late in the service, we were welcomed instantly with open arms and a nice, quaint booth off to the side of the main restaurant alleys. The decor was...refreshingly unusual for American Mediterranean establishments, but that is not a bad thing. It's simple, quaint and warm. But the aesthetics aren't the main draw. You see, Ephesus stakes its reputation on one very important staple: its food.
I did a little sympathetic digging and I am thoroughly convinced that this restaurant makes everything from scratch, with the obvious exception of the Coke fountain machine. I mean that; not many restaurants can say as much. The food literally spoke volumes in flavor that simply can't be communicated without hours of careful planning and skillful execution.
For our meal, my wife and I decided to try the Mixed Grill; it was touted by the staff to be plenty of food to feed two, and it offered us the chance to sample a lot of the different styles of meat featured in this expertly carnivorous culture. We also opted for a salad and an appetizer of hummus, which was promised to be homemade.
The hummus came out with freshly baked pita, presented in surprisingly humble fashion with two tomato slices and an olive to garnish. And that's where the simplicity ended; the flavor was like the rabbit hole that swallowed Alice, deep, immersive and surprising. But the overall beauty was that it was simply what was advertised: Hummus. No frills, no fancy garnish, no embellishment. And I think that was the point! They had the confidence to let the food speak to us rather than church it up with nonessential faff. The rich garlic, the nutty tahini and the classic lemony overtones transported us to another place, and we were suddenly sitting outside of a cafe in Istanbul, sipping our cardamom-infused coffee from charmingly dainty cups, enjoying the early afternoon sun. I was truly humbled by the simplicity of the dish, and the depth of flavor left me uncommonly satisfied.
Then came the salad. Also girded in simplicity, the salad was almost the polar opposite of the appetizer; it was crisp, vibrant, alive with exciting color. Shredded lettuce, red cabbage, whole olives, finely julienned carrots, a tangy vinaigrette and shaved feta made for a lively, beautifully presented treat while we anticipated the arrival of our mains. It was a simple salad, but in my opinion, that is largely what a salad should be. Simple! Vegetables are delicious, colorful and exciting on their own, and again, Ephesus arranged them in such a way as to excite all the senses and still allow the flavor to be the primary pundit in this exposition.
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| Sorry, we couldn't help but dive on in. Photo is after the fact. I have no regrets. |
And finally, the Grillapalooza arrived. As promised, the platter was definitely enough to satisfy two diners, and in this case, one was very pregnant. The plate was huge, loaded with all the wonderful meats of Turkish legend. There was Chicken Kabob, Donner Kabob (shaved from a spit), Beef Kabob, and what I usually refer to as "Kubideh" Kabob. It was all there, and all delicious. The meats were very tender, especially the chicken; I pride myself in tender chicken and I admit that these folks have me beat hands down. Each meat was individually marinated and spiced, and the platter was sided with fresh, grilled vegetables. The long grain rice was unbelievably tender and savory, cooked to perfection. If I had anything approaching a complaint, it would be that the Tzatziki sauce was just a touch under-seasoned, but now we're getting into technicalities. It was still delicious, and expertly made. Fresh herbs (definitely dill and possibly mint, but I can't confirm; no mint leaves jumped out at me) were prevalent in the sauce profile. Very good.
Needless to say, I left full and content, and I experienced that wonderful glow that assures one that the food consumed during the meal was worth every last penny spent. On top of the amazing food, the staff was amazing. The charming lady running Front of House was an absolute darling, and regaled us in stories and anecdotes from her homeland. She looked after us like we were her own children, and we very quickly grew to appreciate her doting manner. Our waitress was an American, but no less charming. She saw to our every need before we even needed to ask, and we look forward to seeing her again in the near future. Overall, I would rate this as one of Augusta's budding gems to be explored and enjoyed by all, and I would encourage anyone reading in the local area to try Ephesus. We must encourage the talent in an area of pervasive mediocrity, because these folks work hard for our enjoyment. Please set aside a night for Ephesus. They are worth their weight in gold.
Until next time, my friends, the Bass Clef Chef signs off. Stay tuned for a flurry of backlogged reviews waiting in the wings of my mind, even as I type. Some good, some bad, and some too hilarious to describe. I love you all, and look forward to our next mind-mesh-sesh.
