????Luo Songsong ????songsongluo@126.com ????GRILLED meat on skewers, various vegetarian dips with soft, warm flatbread and small cups of strong coffee. This is what comes to my mind when I think of Turkish food. Apparently, I didn’t know much about Turkish food before I visited Baron Turkish Kitchen. ????Located in the bustling Shopping Park, the restaurant is owned and managed by Medeni Aydin, a Kurd from Turkey who opened his first restaurant in Luohu decades ago. Though the restaurant is getting ready to undergo some renovations, the friendly service and relaxed vibe make it feel very much like a cafe or bar. ????Nowadays, with the growing expatriate population in Shenzhen, you’ll find the tables along the sidewalk filled with diners from all over the world enjoying the hot and cold meze platters, generous skewers of grilled lamb, beef and chicken, beef steak and ice cold beer. ????Turkish food is a fusion and refinement of South Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. The regional cuisine is sometimes described as a refined art, such is its diversity and richness. Meaty items such as lamb, chicken and beef are stars, be they grilled or barbecued, and blends of common ingredients make the fare distinctive. ????People can start their feasts by ordering the meze, a starter platter that has both warm and cold options, including tzatziki or cacik (yogurt dip with cucumbers and olive oil), hummus (ground chickpeas blended with olive oil, salt and garlic) and tahini (sesame-seed paste). ????The grilled kebab plate is a good size and comes with salad, tomatoes, bread or rice, french fries and dip. The lamb and chicken are tender and well-seasoned with grilled vegetables on the skewers. In addition, Baron also offers steaks, spaghetti and large, soft, fluffy and fresh-baked bread accompanied with various dips. ????No meal is complete without a dessert or two, and there are several traditional choices available, including honey-flavored baklava and dondurma, which is traditional Turkish ice cream made with sugar, milk, salep and mastic. | 