Pera Mediterranean Brasserie is located just a couple blocks from Grand Central Station, south on Madison Avenue. It’s just a short trip to the Mediterranean to dine on authentic Turkish foods.  Pera now also sells some of those specialties online.

I wanted to try both. I did and wasn’t disappointed.

While sipping Kavaklindere, Kalecik, Karasi Turkey 2005 ($66) at the restaurant, we nibbled IMG_4111nibbled Pera’s version of bread service while looking over the menu and getting hungry from the delicious grilled-meat aromas emanating from the open kitchen. That service included  pidettes baked a la minute (mini Turkish flatbreads) and served with kasseri cheese, made from sheep’s milk.

We started with a Chef’s Meze Sampler — a tasting plate of nine small dishes — ours included fresh feta cheese, stuffed grape leaves, roasted whipped eggplant, beef and bulghur tartare, fried calamari and a few of the chef’s inspirational additions ($22).  With only two dining, this meze could suffice as a light meal before jumping on the train home or running off to theater (although Pera does offer a special pre-fix 3-course $35 pre-theater menu.)
Meze platter
Some specialties worth sampling include the Ground Seasoned Lamb ($4) three succulent grilled patties accompanied by those traditional pidettes, Pera’s Signature Fresh Lamb “Adana” — lamb that’s hand ground daily and marinated with eastern Mediterranean spices that’s served on a flatstick  Popsicle-style ($26.00), and tender seasoned lamb riblets.

Now, Pera Mediterranean Brasserie’s new online store features the latter two along with other of  the restaurant’s specialty Mediterranean lamb and chicken preparations in ready-to-cook packages. Specifically, they offer skewers of hand-minced and hand-marbled “Adana” lamb or chicken Lamb Adana-2preparation ($11.95 for 10 ounces), eight lamb baby back ribs, dry-rubbed and seasoned with a blend of eastern Mediterranean spices ($11.95 for 16 ounces).

Although they’re working on it, their current instructions need updating. When I tested the ribs the online instructions said, “Place ribs directly on pre-heated cooking surface and cook approximately 3 minutes per side for recommended medium.” I did exactly what they said, resulting in ribs with a thick layer of inedible fat — fat that would have “melted” if cooked much, much longer.  This online store is a fairly new endeavor for Pera — where they are still working out the kinks. In fact, they recently added an online video showing how to cook the adana.

For more info on the store, go to http://www.peraonlinestore.com/

But for a quicker satisfaction of your Turkish food urge, by visiting the restaurant.

Pera
303 Madison Ave
(Btwn 41st & 42nd St)
New York NY 10017
212-878-6301

Pera Mediterranean Brasserie on Urbanspoon