Turkish Delight
On Bell Boulevard

Lailla Bar and Restaurant
42-24 Bell Blvd., Bayside
718-225-2904

Cuisine: Turkish

Hours:  Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Credit Cards: All major

Parking: Street

When I entered Lailla Bar and Restaurant in Bayside, I knew I was in for an authentic taste of Turkey.

For starters, my companion and I tasted a bowl of Lailla’s Lentil Soup ($3.75), which to our pleasant surprise, was much lighter and more flavorful than the average lentil soup. Combined with Lailla’s fresh pita bread – served with a delicious yogurt, cucumber and dill spread called Cacik – the soup was a perfect way to start.

The Shrimp Tava with vegetables and a “secret” red sauce, was sweet and tangy, and reasonably priced at $7.25 as part of a special lunch menu served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

  For dieters, Lailla offers five unique salads, from a delicious Jerusalem Salad to a Greek Salad with all the fixings. There are also dozens of kebabs, as well as world-class falafel, which one patron commented was the best he ever had. 

The restaurant’s fish is fresh and reasonably priced, with choices ranging from swordfish to red snapper to porgy. Lailla’s lamb chops are also more tender than any I’ve ever had, and their Kavurma, or diced lamb with onion, fresh tomato and pepper, is definitely worth a try.

After filling up on traditional Turkish favorites, we tried some Kayisi Tatlisi, or Turkish apricots filled with almonds, light syrup and cream. The crunchiness of the nuts mixed with the soft cream and fresh apricots is a taste I will be returning to try again, I assure you.

I highly suggest you head to Lailla and try its unique cuisine for yourself. Stop by on Friday or Saturday at 10 p.m. and enjoy a traditional belly dancer in addition to the top notch food. There are so many treats to try, you’ll keep coming back for more. I know I will.

— Angela Montefinise