Ethnic comfort food at Ayse’s Turkish Cafe in Ann Arbor.
Originally from Cappadocia, Turkey, Ayse Uras opened her café in 1993 replicating dishes from her mother’s home cooking. I wolf down a spread of lentil soup laced with sumac, Ali Nazik – gently spiced lamb meatballs in a delicate tomato and eggplant sauce, and a crunchy cabbage salad with tart apples and caraway.
My meal ends with an array of pastries including pistachio halva, Ekmek Kadayif (Turkish bread pudding), Noah’s pudding (a mixture of grains, fruits and nuts in syrup) and cup of strong Turkish coffee.
This article first appeared in the Spring 2015 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
