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by Jen Acacio
on Monday, February 16, 2009 12:00 AM

If a country-specific restaurant is authentic enough, it can make you feel like you've traveled to that country, leaving you with gastronomic memories. Take, for example, the always satisfying Turkish restaurant, Anadolu. On my most recent visit I was pleased to find that its new Xintiandi location maintains its distinctly simple yet satisfying offerings.
Due to a case of indecisiveness, we started with the Anadolu Izgara (248RMB), a feast of a mix plate that includes adana kebab, lamb chops, and chicken with rice, bread and vegetables. We also sampled their Iskender Kebab (108RMB), which is rumored to have been named after Alexander the Great as it is believed to be his favorite dish. The other theory, that it was named after its creator, Iskender Efendi, seems more plausible. The Iskender Kebab is a traditional dish of thinly-sliced beef atop pide - Turkish bread - and slathered with tomato and yogurt sauce. Though flavorful, I found it a bit heavy on the sauce.
Meanwhile, discovering the Turkish pizza, Porsisyon Lahmacun (75RMB) and learning the proper way to eat it was an interesting experience and the highlight of our visit. The Lahmacun is a thin, crispy dough topped with blended minced meat and herbs that are first spritzed with fresh lemon, then roll into a wrap with lettuce and tomatoes. Ayran (30RMB) - the traditional yogurt drink with salt - sounds a bit unappetizing by description, but was actually quite tasty, and went well with our meal.
We left Anadolu full, but healthy, not heavy. Perhaps it's because, like its sister Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, Turkish cuisine uses only olive oil in its creations, or maybe it was the hearty sides of vegetables that came with each dish. In any case, if you ever want to ‘visit' Turkey while sticking to your budget, you need not go further than Anadolu.