TAWOOKS

«TAWOOKS» on Moskovskaya Street, 40, proves that Turkish cuisine in Kazan isn't just plastic panels and a generic shawarma-joint interior. The place is set in a 19th-century building with a vaulted ceiling and red-brick walls, and the cooking is done by chef Mehmet Akif Eskeçi. The menu features beef and chicken kavurma: the meat is stewed in a pan with tomato sauce and vegetables, served with crispy lavash. There's also chicken doner with french fries, pickled cucumbers and fresh tomato sauce, as well as chicken kebab with rice and yogurt. The sauce here is made truly rich, and the ayran is made from yogurt with a starter culture that Mehmet brings from Turkey. In the mornings, it's worth ordering the classic Turkish breakfast: fried eggs with tomatoes and baked onion, served with fresh cheese, cucumbers, honey, flatbread, butter and strawberry jam. For dessert, there's künefe made of crispy dough with kaymak. The coffee here is brewed Turkish-style on sand and served with a glass of cold water and dried fruit. The average check at «TAWOOKS» is up to 1,000 rubles.