Found Leyla, a Mediterranean restaurant, in searching for places less than a mile from The Delacorte as a potential one for The Public’s Patron program. We were seated in the tiny garden in the back.

The meal started strong with their beetroot carpaccio salad ($14), thinly sliced beets, topped with fresh arugula drizzled with a lemon oil dressing and garnished with four 1-inch balls of goat cheese rolled in herbs. I’d recommend that.

My dining partner had eaten pide, the Turkish flatbread cooked in a brick oven, describing it as looking like a small pizza. Our slow-cooked short rib pide ($15) was different; it resembled strudel with the dough wrapped partially over the meat, eggplant spread and kashar cheese.

They served the eggplant caviar with toasted bread in a sealed mason jar, releasing steam when the server opened it. The caviar made from onion, bell pepper, garlic was missing the traditional charred smoky flavor.

Their Karides Güveç ($18), shrimp with bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and shiitake mushroom pieces was fine, although could have used some additional seasoning.

We finished in more than enough time to pick up our Merry Wives tickets and get seated in The Delacorte to see the performance, as our original tickets on opening night got rained out. We learned that this was the first performance with the entire cast. To say it was spectacular is an understatement. I especially enjoyed the outstanding performances of Susan Kelechi Watson, who plays Beth on This is Us and Jacob Ming-Trent, who plays Falstaff in the play. Try to get tickets!

Leyla
Upper West Side
108 W 74th Street
New York, NY 10023
347 334 7939.