BITE-SIZED BLURBS: TURQUAZ KEBAB HOUSE

Our Bite-Sized Blurbs are our honest opinions about a local restaurant, bakery or café that aren’t part of a larger Gracilianca series! Bon appétit!

The focus of this bite-sized blurb is Turquaz Kebab House, a counter service restaurant dishing up Turkish and Lebanese cuisine in northwest Edmonton!

Location: Skyview Power Centre - 13310 137 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5L 4Z6

Items on the menu: Trio platter (split between C & G): one skewer of AA+ ribeye beef, one skewer of kafta (made of ground beef, onion, parsley, and spices), and one skewer of seasoned chicken breast, grilled on charcoal. Served with sides of hummus, garlic sauce, rice, fries, garden salad and bread. Cost: $22.95

Tell me more: Turquaz Kebab House first opened its doors in 2011 as the first Turkish-Lebanese fusion restaurant of its kind in our city. In 2017, it moved from its 127 street location to its current home in Skyview, with the goal of bringing its Mediterranean fare to the community at large. As a family-oriented counter serve, Turquaz Kebab House features ample seating, a playroom for children, a prayer room, a wudu room for ritual washing, a presentation room for meetings/conferences, and a patio for the warmer months. Known for its charcoal-grilled halal food, Turquaz also has an in-house stone oven for its baked goods, including Turkish-style lahmacun and pide (flatbread).

So, how was it? We ordered take-out by calling ahead, which went smoothly! Turquaz was pretty busy, so we were really glad we planned ahead - from the reviews, it’s busiest on the weekends and they don’t do reservations. You can also order online via their website here, and if you’re not sure what you want, their website handily provides descriptions and pictures of all of their food options here!

For our rankings, we will be looking at a few categories, taste, presentation, and value!

TASTE:

C: 4.25/5 - I was super excited to try Turquaz Kebab House, as it came highly recommended by a number of my friends! My first bite into this delicious smorgasbord of food did not disappoint! My favourite was the kafta - I really enjoyed the mix of spices and flavours! The chicken was quite delicious as well. I found the beef to be a tad on the dry side, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. The hummus and garlic sauce were delicious! And who would say no to fries?! I gobbled everything up in no time, which is a true testament as to how delicious the meal was!

G: 4.5/5 - I’m no expert when it comes to Mediterranean food, but I really enjoyed everything overall! The meats were well-seasoned, and the kafta was my favourite - flavourful and tender! The beef was also delicious, and while I found the chicken a little dry, it was still pretty good. The sides were a tasty complement to the meal - the salad provided nice balance, the sauces added flavour, and the rice had a hint of spice. I was impressed!

PRESENTATION:

C: 4/5 - The food was nicely laid out - the skewers were laid on top of a bed of rice, with the fries, hummus and salad having their own compartments. The pita bread and garlic sauce were packaged separately. Overall, a solid way to present the meal!

G: 4.25/5 - Functionally packaged in a sturdy to-go container which easily doubled as plates for us! No complaints.

VALUE:

C: 5/5 - Super good value for the food, considering that this kebab plate was more than enough to feed the 2 of us! If you were to get one by yourself, you would definitely be really full or have leftovers for the next day! Most of their kebab plates are $18-23 which is very reasonable!

G: 4.75/5 - I was super impressed with the portion size - there was definitely enough food for two people! I can definitely see why this place is so popular with families. Between the two of us, it worked out to be about $11.50 per person before tax/tip - which is a great deal for dinner if you ask me!

FINAL THOUGHTS: Would you order from Turquaz Kebab House again?

C: Definitely! I want to try more of their main dishes! If only it were closer to where I lived…. I think Turquaz Kebab House should open a location on the south side of the city!

G: Yes, no question about it! The food was tasty and IMO the value was great for what you get. Love that this place is close to home and I would love to try some of their other mains and baked goods!

Disclaimer: This review is not affiliated with or sponsored by Turquaz Kebab House - views expressed are solely our opinions!