Sultan Mediterranean Grill: a taste of delectable Turkish cuisine in San Juan

Shawarma has become a popular dish in the Philippines these days. However, the owners of Sultan Mediterranean Grill in Greenhills, San Juan, have taken the Turkish authenticity further. They serve the dishes with the flair of spices, dressings, and flavors that will surely make one wonder if their chefs are really Turkish. The restaurant first operated in Valero, Makati then started to expand to San Juan. It has been open for less than a year in the latter. Their new place was well decorated with Mediterranean memorabilia and art. Also, the place was well-lit and clean.

As for the food, I can say that it gave so much in the flavor department that it left me coming back for more. Since I love lamb dishes due to its smoky and stocky flavor and its tender meat, I felt right at home with the food. We started off with the hummus varieties served with pita bread. These were actually composed of ground lentils made into a paste with a drizzle of olive oil. Some varities tasted spicy while others were a bit salty. At 110 pesos, these came with their freshly baked pita bread. I love this appetizer for its unique smell and salty taste. This was followed with a salad. At 250 pesos, the Vitamin Boost salad consisted of lettuce, cucumber, mangoes, onions, oranges, walnuts and topped with grilled chicken. This healthy concoction was also sufficient to whet my appetite for the things to come.

The viands were even more amazing. The wide selection of beef, chicken, and lamb dishes were appetizing and meaty, not to mention flavorful. We started of with the Moussaka. At Php 220, this reasonably priced Mediterranean style lasagna was an explosion of cheesy flavors with accompanying ground beef, spices, and the obligatory pita bread. After this came the rice variants. The Keshmishi and Biryani variants made my day. At less than 100 pesos per platter, both were flavorful due to the spices, onions, and meat toppings. Not to mention the curry powder that these dishes were cooked in. The Ox Tongue was our meat starter. At Php 240, this saucy dish was composed of braised ox tongue cooked in spices and their special mushroom sauce with a few vegetables. The fatty texture of the meat was tempered with the sweet, tangy taste of the sauce. Kudos to whoever thought of that mix! We then moved on to the Sizzling Lamb. At 350 pesos, this hot, sizzling plate of grilled goodness was served with their special curry sauce and doused in spices. Perfect for someone like me who wanted to experience meat in all the goodness of chili and pepper. This meat festival didn't end here. We had the kebab platter. At Php 580 pesos, this grilled mass of meat was composed of their beef, chicken and lamb varieties grilled to perfection. I had a lot of thie grilled goodness. It was tender and juicy too. Add to that the fact that the meat was moist and flavorful. The coup de grace was the Braised Lamb Shank. At Php 580, this delectable dish was served with a ton of biryani rice. For those who eat a lot of meat, this one is for them. This huge chunk of lamb leg was grilled to perfection and doused in their special gravy. The meat had lots of tender juicy fat and lean meat as well. It was so soft and tasty that I considered going back for another plate. Lastly, the drinks and dessert were also memorable. Their mixed berry shake contained the right amount of sweetness and milky flavor while their ice cream, flavored with either basil, nuts, or salted caramel made the end of the meal very very satisfying. It wasn't too sweet on the mouth too. These dishes make me consider going back for more!

For your Mediterranean cravings, you can try Sultan. Sultan is located at 190 Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan. You can visit their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/sultangrillph.

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