NAR CAFE AND BISTRO
Location:
Hours of Business:
Phone:
Web Address:
2540 Windsor Road (Oak Bay)
Tues – Sat: Lunch 11 am – 3 pm Dinner 5–9 pm
250-598-1085
www.narcafebistro.com
Chosen for:
A hidden gem
Classic Turkish cooking
Warmth of owners
In the midst of March 7th, 2009 gale-force winds, 15 Grapeviners met in Oak Bay Marina’s parking lot. Shivering members were surprised when we led them away from the marina to walk three blocks to the door of Nar Cafe & Bistro, located opposite Windsor Park.
What a relief it was to be greeted by co-owner Cemil’s big smile as he ushered us inside the warm and quaint two-storey Tudor! Cemil (pronounced Jay-meel) and his wife Ozlem own and operate Nar Cafe & Bistro. Cemil was clearly overwhelmed that Nar had been chosen “best of the bunch for March” and Ozlem later said, “You’ve made our year!”
Owner-managers Cemil & Ozlem Karahasan with
daughter Ozge are renowned for friendly service
and amazing food.
Food photos from www.narcafebistro.com.
All other photos by Barbara McDonell
The Karahasan family emigrated from Turkey to Victoria 2 l/2 years ago. Cemil and Ozlem are both lawyers who knew before the move that they would be unable to practice law in Canada. Because they had always enjoyed cooking for friends and clients, they decided they’d like to open a small cafe. So Cemil attended Camosun College Culinary Arts program and completed Level 2, adding, “Level 3 was Nar itself.”
For many months they searched fruitlessly for a small charming place. Then, on the Internet, the current location appeared for sale. When the couple came to view it, they discovered the seller was also Turkish... and the deal was struck.
Nar has been open for fifteen months. The name means “pomegranate”, which symbolizes your passions. Cemil said they love the neighbourhood and the “gorgeous people” who are their customers.
In Turkey, the offering and sharing of food is an expression of friendship. The menu reads that the Karahasans “are pleased to welcome you to our ‘home’ and hope you will enjoy this unique dining experience. ‘Afiyet olsun’, which means, 'enjoy your meal'.
The most popular choice proved to be Borek, a Turkish-style baked crispy phyllo pastry filled with either spinach &
feta or a spiced ground beef with leeks. Choose a 3-course dinner of soup or salad, entree & dessert for $24.50!
Nar offers two floors of seating. The first level, accommodating twelve in an intimate setting with small tables and a fireplace, is perfect for a romantic date or a get-together with a friend you haven’t seen for a while. Upstairs overlooks Windsor Park. Here the space is more open, permitting greater flexibility for larger tables and group seatings. For fine weather dining – definitely not this day's "graping" – an inviting patio is available.
Our gracious waitress was daughter Ozge (pronounced Oz-gay) who attends UVic and assists her parents in the restaurant on evenings and weekends. As we browsed our menus, several brave souls enthusiastically ordered Turkish coffee. Not for the faint of heart, it’s a thick, dark brew served in a tiny cup. Tasters promptly declared it “delicious”. When you drink this in Turkey, the empty cup is turned upside down for a “reading” of the leftover coffee grounds.
The upstairs room permits flexibility for larger tables &
group seatings - tailor-made for Grapevine members!
Nar offers a unique collection of traditional dishes from the Palace Kitchen of the Ottoman Sultan’s, which includes fresh salads, casseroles, pilafs and vegetable dishes. As well as a daily lunch special for $11.50, there’s a soup or sandwich of the day. Other options included Caesar or spinach salad with either Tiger prawns or chicken breast, Dolma (grape leaves), Kofte (meatballs baked in tomato sauce), or Seafood Mornay. The most popular choice, however, proved to be Borek, a Turkish-style baked crispy phyllo pastry filled with either spinach and feta or a spiced ground beef with leeks, served with your choice of delicious soup or a beautifully coloured side salad for $9.75.
As we were finishing our meals, Ozge announced that we would each be served a complimentary sampling of their Turkish apricot dessert. This was yummy, served with a crunchy topping that tasted like almond brittle. One member said, “It tasted like more.”
A large ornate coffee urn decorates
one corner.
For evening meals the cafe offers a Meze Platter, following the Turkish tradition of starting dinner with a few small dishes of meat, poultry, seafood or veggies as appetizers. As well as a wide variety of inviting entres priced between $19.50 and $22.50, there’s a great deal on a 3-course dinner of soup or salad, entrée and dessert for $24.50!
Two Turkish alcoholic beverages are available. Efes is the country’s most popular beer and the traditional apertif, Raki, is a non-sweet drink usually flavoured with anise.
Note that occasionally the cafe adds special event menus. On Valentine’s Day, for instance, they offered a 4-course meal for two people for $59.
Cemil was proud to announce that EAT Magazine published a write-up about Nar Cafe & Bistro in their March 2009 issue. To quote, they pronounced it “Romantic. Entering Nar is like falling into a warm embrace on a cold day.” Well that was certainly our experience, especially when we viewed a 10-minute blizzard through the windows while we sipped hot soup! The reviewer continues with “The Dolma are the best stuffed grape leaves I’ve ever had, including Toronto and Montreal.” To access the entire EAT piece, visit www.narcafebistro.com.
Customer feedback on Nar’s website includes the following:
“Wonderful friendly ambience, a feeling of comfort, lovely caring people who will modify orders to suit, amazing food. What more could one ask for?”
“The staff is friendly ... After a few visits you feel like family.” Roy Hg
The downstairs fireplace room is intimate and perfect for a romantic date.