Al Sanabel, one of Little Arabia’s longest standing restaurants, is still coming up with new ways to delight appetites. Their bakery became so popular that patrons urged the eatery to adopt new menu items. So they rebranded themselves as Koftegi for its amended Mediterranean menu that now serves the best in Turkish fare alongside its staple Lebanese plates. Koftegi offers main course plates like Sultan’s Delight and manti, beef dumplings immersed in a delicious yogurt sauce. But appreciate Al Sanabel anew with Turkish Boats.
If, in our limited imagination, we call sphihas “Lebanese pizzas,” Turkish Boats can be understood just the same. But the flatbread fleets are so much more. Shaped like a caïque, a traditional fishing vessel that sails the Aegean Sea, Turkish Boats arrive on sheet paper left only lightly greased by the dish. Koftegi offers a number of different toppings. Folks can order a simple cheese boat or get a heaping of ground beef and egg aboard.
Turkish Boats come chopped into five slices. The white cheese is gooey-good and just salty enough. Aromatically seasoned ground beef is sprinkled throughout the culinary vessel. Its flatbread folded-over edges are tastefully toasted. Combined all together, the ground beef and cheese Turkish Boat satisfies without feeling like an anchor of food’s been unloaded in the belly. All the selections are reasonably priced, making Turkish Boats a great way to fill a lunch break.
And while we miss Al Sanabel’s portraits of Lebanese fishing towns on the walls, Turkish Boats still make us feel very much like we’re dining seaside.
Koftegi, 816 S. Brookhurst St, Anaheim,(714) 635-4353;koftegi.com
Gabriel San Román is from Anacrime. He’s a journalist, subversive historian and the tallest Mexican in OC. He also once stood falsely accused of writing articles on Turkish politics in exchange for free food from DönerG’s!
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