My son had stopped here on the way to visit and based on some of the leftovers, we knew it had to…read morebe on the list. Traveling within about 5 minutes on the way to visit a good friend, and it happened to be right around lunch time, the opportunity finally came. It's a casual place, lots of 2 and 4 top tables, but what caught my eye when we went in was the cooler full of amazing side options. Then you look up and there's a beautiful oven and a dough station. This is looking great. We sat and ordered lamb kebab and doner kebab. A couple minutes later, a large (~11x17?) wooden tray appeared with a piping hot lavash bread and a plate of dill yogurt sauce. If the meal had stopped there, I would have been a happy camper. We had just had a few pieces when the kebab arrived, each with a pepper, tomato, some red cabbage, and onion. Both meats were authentic and delicious. My favorite way to eat my doner was with a bit of the bread, a bit of the dill sauce, some onion and cabbage, and a bunch of meat - a mini gyro, if you will. We took away about 1/3 of the generous portions and ordered a large mixed plate (all 10 of the sides) and baklava to take to our friend. It's a bit of a drive for us, but any time we're anywhere close, we're going to be back for sit down (if it's mealtime) or takeaway if it's not. I highly recommend you do the same.

Alibaba is probably the oldest Turkish restaurant in the Albany area, and it recently got a nice…read moreupgrade -- from the furniture to the serving plates and menus. The place feels much more modern and inviting now. Our family especially enjoys the beyti kebab, the güveç, and their pide. I haven't tried the pizza yet, but since their pide is very good, I imagine the pizza would also be solid. For me though, the real highlight at Alibaba is the mezze. In Turkish cuisine, grilled meats and kebabs are almost always enjoyed with a variety of mezze. They might technically be sides, but they're a big part of the whole experience. These days there are several Turkish kebab places in the area, but none of them offer a wide selection of fresh, house-made mezze like Alibaba does. At many places you're lucky if you find one or two options, often just a basic ezme. At Alibaba you'll find around ten different mezze and each one tastes distinct and freshly made. Every time I tell myself I'll just take a little... and somehow I end up filling a big mezze plate. Honestly, even when we grill at home, our motivation is picking up mezze from Alibaba to go with it. I'm not sure if it gets the credit it deserves, but don't skip the mezze here -- you'd be missing out. In fact, start with the mezze and figure out the rest later :))

My favorite place to go out! And during the summer the outside seating area is amazing! It's a…read moregreat spot to go with your friends and family! A true hidden gem! The costumer service is top tier! The wait is not long! The food is amazing! 100% recommend! Fine dining! Their bread is incredible!

This was a takeout order…read more We found that two kebab plates are enough to feed four people. Originally we were going to order two mixed grill plates, but since each one only comes with one lamb chop, it would've been awkward trying to split everything evenly. Instead, we ordered the Grilled Mixed Chicken Plate and the Adana Kebab Entrée, which worked out much better for sharing. The meats were all juicy and cooked really well. I liked that each one had its own seasoning and preparation, so nothing tasted repetitive. The tomato could've used a little more char, but the grilled pepper was good. Both the white rice and bulgur were solid, and the pita was really good. I do wish the plates came with some kind of sauce to tie everything together, and I think a small side salad would've rounded out the meal nicely. One thing I did notice was the complimentary bread. It used to be better. Looking back at pictures from a few years ago, it used to be much better. Overall though, it was a good meal and everyone was satisfied.

Trusted the reviews and we were not disappointed. A very cute spot, nicely decorated, just in a…read morestrange location because of the mall. The mixed appetizer was fun to try all the dips. The chutney type one was my favorite by far, followed by the cacik and baba ganoush. The carrot and cabbage ones were a little too heavy on the mayo for me. The bread was delicious! Our meals were also very good. I was personally not a big fan of the chicken adana even though everyone raves about it, but it was just personal preference. My husband loved it! My chicken shish was very good, tender and moist. Super friendly service so all in all a great spot!

Passing through the area the night before my flight out of Bradley Airport. Had a hankering for…read moresome Middle Eastern food. Checked out some reviews. Was a little concerned that one said it was in a dying Mall. But most of the food reviews were very positive. It was a little hard to find... GPS took me to the other side of the mall...which was DEFINITELY dying. Stopped in another restaurant and got directions to the Mosaic Cafe. The decor was quite colorful and festive. Added to the Middle Eastern experience. I ordered Lamb & Chicken Shish Kebab and a Side of Hummus. Excellent Fresh Bread. Outstanding flavors... meats were perfectly cooked and tender. Hummus was great with the bread. Salad was tangy. The Rice and Bulgar where OK... nothing special. The waitress and the owner couldn't have been friendlier. Like most places these days, it was a bit pricey...but these are the times we live in. Chances are I won't be back in that area anytime soon. But for a one night stand, it was excellent.

We follow alaturco on Facebook where they had placed out a post stating they had a st pattys day…read morespecial for $39.99. Sounded like a great opportunity to try a bit of all their food. The ordering was simple and I reserved my order through fb messenger a few days prior to 3/17. The order to the pickup went smoothly and it was sooooo delicious. They placed it together when I arrived. If you've never been to the Ballston spa location and it's your first time, things to know: - tables for about 12 people in the restaurant at a time (no larger parties) - it gets warm in there, no matter the season! - they serve canned drinks and bottled water, so if you're a guzzler, bring your large reusable water bottle My favorite part was how the hummus was the best hummus I've had in years. No other restaurant makes it like this in the area and you've got to go in and try it!

Had the combo Gyro platter and very happy with portion size as well as flavor…read more It was dinner time and the meat however was a little Dried out probably was shaved hours ago. The owners are very nice and appreciative. The Baklava was super good.

Came here for the first time on a Saturday night and it was really busy. We made a reservation but…read morestill had to wait a bit to be seated. It's tiny inside but clean. We got the mixed cold appetizers which tasted really good with their bread. The mixed grill was very good, their lamb is one of the best we've had. I hope they consider adding iskender to their menu in the future. Unfortunately we didn't experience the best service when we were there. They didn't give us menus so we looked it up on our phones, and we had to flag the staff down to take our order after almost 15min. We asked for water refills and yogurt sauce but received neither and no one came to check on us. We didn't want to wait longer so we opted to skip dessert.

Let me talk about the kebab -- the quality of this place has significantly declined over time. When…read morethey first opened, they were truly making authentic Adana kebab. The chef was from Adana, and he used to prepare lamb meat properly with a zırh (traditional curved knife). But those days seem to be long gone. During my last two visits, there's been a noticeable drop in flavor. It seems they've switched from hand-minced meat to machine-ground meat, and they've started mixing in beef as well. The kebab, which used to crumble with rich texture, has now turned into something more like a cheap supermarket meatball. Despite charging above-average prices, this decline in quality is unacceptable.The kebab was served with both rice and bulgur pilaf, but both had clearly been sitting for a while. The rice, in particular, seemed like it had been cooked 2-3 days earlier -- it was far from fresh. It might still appeal to Turkish customers who have never actually had proper kebab even in Turkey, but to anyone who knows what Adana kebab is supposed to be, this is a joke. I assume most of their customers are foreigners who don't really know what to expect from a real Adana kebab -- so they've taken the easy and cheap route. To make things worse, during my last visit, one side of the kebab was burnt. And the chef, like a typical trickster, had placed the burnt side facing down on the plate, trying to hide it. That's just shameful. And finally -- here's a photo of the cooked tomato they served. Completely white and unripe. Really, chef? You didn't notice when cutting it? You didn't see it while cooking? Or even when plating it? If good tomatoes are hard to find (which they're not -- they're just coming into season), then don't serve them at all. If someone asks, you simply say "It's not the season, and we couldn't find good-quality tomatoes, so we chose not to serve any." But you don't serve pickling-grade, pale white tomatoes on a plate. Also, the place is now covered with signs saying it's alcohol-free -- seriously, there are nearly ten of them across the entrance, exit, and walls. When I asked the waiter about it, he explained that the restaurant is now a "halal establishment." But here's the strange part: since the place opened, I've been there around seven times, and every time I brought my own alcohol, the staff gladly served it to me at the table. Surely they didn't just now discover that alcohol isn't considered *halal* in their religion.

This place is amazing! From the minute you walk through the door you are treated like royalty…read more And then, the ambience and the food are... fantastic! I have a very good impression of the Turkish culture after experiencing these people and this restaurant. They are so hospitable and their food is exquisitely delicious!

Sultan in Waterbury is a must-try for authentic Turkish flavors! We ordered the Adana and Has Has…read morekebab. Both were delicious. The hummus and babaganoush were also standouts. We ended the meal with baklava and kunefe. So good! The service is consistent - friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere always cozy and inviting. They have plenty of parking in the front of the restaurant. I can't wait to go back and try more of their menu!

3rd visit. Love this restaurant because their food is delicious, extraordinary and a reason to go…read moreout to eat (and enjoy food that is new to me and that I wouldn't make as well at home). The staff is always professional and friendly and happy. Reservations are strong here but everytime my dining companions and I walk-in, they always make space for us. The Falafel here is the best, falafel we've had... and we've eaten a lot of falafel. It is delicately crispy and light interior. The shepherd's salad is bright and fresh. Tonight there was a shrimp orchiette special: the shrimp was tender (perfectly cooked) and the feta added perfect counterpoint! We are big fans of the flatbread and always enjoy the Persian roasted vegetables. Very special! They are seasoned so nicely - warm, not heavy, just enough! The dessert that rounded out our night was the Turkish Coffee and Hazlenut tart. GAH!!! Let's just say, they knew what the assignment was.... and that nailed it! Excited to return!

Cute, unpretentious restaurant. Service was pleasant, but slow. My husband liked his meal…read more(chicken on flatbread), but my shrimp special was tasteless/disappointing. I'd give it another chance if we were in the area and order something other than shellfish.