Turkish Delight In Baltimore Last Saturday
Chef Ahmet conducts a symphony for the senses in Baba’De
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| Squid Eriste |
At Baltimore's Baba’De last Saturday, presentation was mesmerising, particularly with our opening dishes, the spring rolls and the Squid Eriste and the following plates didn't disappoint either. Of course, while the presentation can dazzle and puzzle, it is what behind it that counts and here every single note was precise, all coming together in a virtuoso performance by the chef and his team.
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| Spring Rolls |
For us a serendipitous discovery. But this symphony of looks, textures and flavours owes nothing to accident, rather it's the results of years of learning by Chef Ahmet, his insistence from day one on finding the best local produce along with his judicious use of sauces and spices (used more to enhance the flavours than add heat) from his native Turkey. I suppose the serendipity comes in the fact that he did end up here in Baltimore.
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| West Cork beef köfte |
So what is Baba’De? It is the second restaurant in Baltimore with Chef Dede at the helm, with Maria Archer leading out-front. Dede at The Custom House is just a few steps up the street and already displays two Michelin stars. Baba is still in its infancy but the prodigy has already been recognised with a Michelin bib.
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| Baba'de-style fried chicken |
And indeed the menu follows Michelin lines, even the shortened one at lunchtime that we enjoyed. There are no starters as such, though you may enjoy Soup (Turkish red lentil - - garlic buffalo yogurt, sourdough, almond & garlic - on our visit) and/or Ali’s Hummus (fresh chickpeas & tomato casserole, paprika & cumin, sourdough).
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| Baba'de-style fried chicken |
Here you are invited to pick what you like to begin and then order again and again. There’s quite a wine list here, local drinks too including craft beers, and cocktails of course. As we were driving back to the city immediately afterwards we picked a couple of non alcoholic favourites, the Stonewell Cider and the Fierce Mild beer; neither disappointed.
We started with a couple of dishes from the Sea section including those spectacular Langoustine spring rolls, with basil, sesame seeds, and chilli. A delight for the eye and the taste buds. Next up was the Squid Eriste (pasta served with oregano & red pepper velouté almond), another eye-catching and very satisfying dish. Eriste, by the way, is a type of Turkish pasta. Both dishes were shared, and that was the plan, until dessert!
Another look at the menu for round two and we ordered a couple of dishes from the Pasture section. First up was the Baba'de-style fried chicken (fried buttermilk chicken thigh, spice mix & brown butter dip). Might sound a bit prosaic but once again it was poetry on a plate from the kitchen. And that same standard continued with the amazing West Cork beef köfte with aromatic rice, barbecue beef, pickles, tomato and yoghurt sauce.
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| Time for dessert |
And then to dessert where the sharing arrangement broke down, We were in agreement though that, of the two on offer, it just had to be Annemin sütlaçi (dede's mother's warm rice pudding, brown butter ice cream, hazelnut). We each had one and it turned out to be a great decision. I enjoyed every little grain though I had to promise that I would try and compare it with CL’s version featuring Blackcurrant jam (plenty of it) and a shake of nutmeg - looking forward to that!
We had had our stroll out to the Beacon earlier and, having been well fed and thoughtfully served by the excellent staff at Baba’de, we walked down to the pier and carpark, said au revoir to Baltimore, and were soon on our way home, reminiscing every now and then on that gorgeous meal.
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| Ferries for Sherkin and Cape Clear |
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| The Beacon, about 30 minutes walk from village. Five by car. |
What we ate:
Langoustine spring rolls €18
Squid Eriste €15
West Cork beef köfte €16
Baba'de-style fried chicken €13
Annemin sütlaçi €13
More on Baba'De here
