New Kapadokia

Good afternoon, eaters. I'm here today to let you in on a little secret: New Kapadokia is SO much better than old Kapadokia.* Ok, I'll admit it. I don't have a clue where or what Kapadokia is (a town in Turkey is my guess), but New Kapadokia Turkish restaurant in Redwood City, CA is pretty bangin'! Some of my fam live out that way and so we've been past this downtown corner spot a few times. It's always packed and always smells really yummy, so we finally made reservations and headed over not too long ago.












I checked out the menu online and knew there would be plenty of vegan things from which to choose. So, when we sat down (at a table with my name on it no less - nice touch) and saw the menu, I was confused. All the veggie small plates were missing. But then a wonderful man with a HUGE tray came around, plopped down examples of all the small plates and we got to pick and choose. I love when shopping and eating can be combined into one activity. :) We ordered a ton of food, but here are some of the highlights.

This eggplant dish is like baba ganoush without the tahini. Succulent roasted eggplant meets olive oil and spices and that's it. Such a deep flavor - and so simple! It went down easy with some of NK's fresh pita, that's for sure.

Dolmas (grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs) are one of my favorite foods on the planet and NK makes some good ones. I even used that lemon wedge and gave mine a squirt. Delicious.

For a truly unique taste, you must try the muhammarah. This spread of ground walnuts, red bell peppers, and spices is rich - yet tangy - and truly divine. You'll want to spread it on everything from some pita to your entree. Which is exactly what I did with my entree...

...the stuffed eggplant. This beauty arrives in its cast iron baking dish and is crispy around the edges while still perfectly soft in the middle. It is filled to the brim with tomatoes and veggies, garlic and herbs, and it is just superb. Warning: It smells ridiculously good when it arrives but WAIT! It is crazy hot and if you are impatient like me you will burn your mouth. A burned mouth is no fun for eating. :(

New Kapadokia is a definite stop for eating well with others in Redwood City. Next up: The "other" Burmese restaurant in San Francisco!

*No offense, Kapadokians. I'm sure it's very nice there.

Oh, and check out my guest post over at Vegansaurus if you haven't already. Thanks!