About Cafe Divan
Housed in a wedge of a building in upper Georgetown, this eatery has the feel of a trendy Euro cafe. The menu of mezze and mains covers many of the hallmarks of Turkish cuisine. Our ideal repast would start with a raki (the Turkish version of ouzo) and a smattering of mezze such as cigar-shaped, feta-filled phyllo rolls; stuffed eggplant glistening with tomato and olive oil; and tender grape leaves. Divan does a fine job with kebabs—spicy ground beef and ground lamb are exceptionally good—but the real star is the doner kebab, thinly sliced lamb and veal cooked on a spit and served with blistered tomatoes. Have it dry if you’re a fan of roasty end cuts, or wet with yogurt and pita crisps.
Cuisine: Turkish
Where you can get it: 1834 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-338-1747
Also good: Fried eggplant with yogurt sauce; savory pastry stuffed with Turkish pastrami and kasseri cheese; hunkar begendi (chunks of lamb atop puréed eggplant); pide, a boat-shaped pizza with feta or kasseri; firin sutlac (rice pudding); kazandibi (caramelized-milk pudding).