By Abigael T. Sidi
I won’t be wasting any time getting to the point with this one: The food at Leyla, Arabic for Night Beauty, is exactly that, a b-e-a-u-t-y.
Every once in a while, you discover a place that stops you right in your tracks and enchants everyone at the table; a place where every dish is an “Ooooooh” or a “WOW”; that hits every spot from visuals to aromas and textures, from flawless execution to innovative twists on great classics (here, from Turkey, Greece and the greater Middle East). A place where every dish is meant to be shared, where you just can’t stop smiling as you go. A magical place.
This Night Beauty is easy to miss: She is tucked away on West 74th Street (off the corner of Columbus Avenue) and, on weekdays, only opens her doors for dinner. Everything here is so delicious that my single-dish column concept is woefully inadequate. Luckily, not one but two of my editors solved the problem by requesting I cover the same dish, the three-cheese “pide” (Turkish flatbread). So that’s what I did… until I decided to cheat and include a second pide, the equally marvelous, minced meat lahmacun.
Growing up, I spent many summers with my grandparents in Turkey and so I’m quite familiar with pide, the national pizza, and gözleme, the national crepe. (My only surprise at Leyla is that they don’t — yet — offer gözleme; I hope they add a couple of those one day, hopefully spinach and potatoes … hint, hint!) The pide I was most familiar with was of the minced meat, lahmacun-type, so I’ll start there.
Leyla’s lahmacun uses a juicy ground lamb together with tomatoes and parsley, all elevated by a generous but balanced seasoning of bright citrusy sumac. The dough is thin and crispy, with a gorgeous char on the outside, and the dish is served straight out of the restaurant’s ceramic oven. Season the lahmacun with a few drops of lemon juice and parsley leaves, roll it up like a crepe or burrito, and there you have it: a simple, light-yet-incredibly-savory bite. I was immediately brought back to the streets of Kas, a small, lovely beach town on the southern Turkish coast, full of memories.
Unlike the round, pizza shaped lahmacun, the three-cheese pide is served boat-style, reminiscent of some of Chamamama’s Georgian khachapuris. The filling consists of a delicious blend of halloumi, kashar and mozzarella, interestingly seasoned with truffled honey. The dough is yet again flawless, a perfect crisp-and-crack, and it has a ridiculous, oozy, melt-in-your-mouth bite with a good cheese pull. Halloumi and kashar are nuttier and less briny than their fellow Greek feta cheese, and the honey brings pleasant sweetness, so you can be certain that your kids will love it.
The pide are great, with three additional ones to discover (one vegetarian and two meat). But covering Leyla without mentioning some of the mezze would be sacrilegious. At the very least, try their muhammara (the delicate and aromatic Syrian paste made of red pepper, walnuts and pomegranate molasses) and their babaganoush (eggplant puree), which at Leyla is cleverly mixed with smoked labneh, cutting with the acidity while preserving the charred flavor of the eggplant (the creamy dish, called “Atom,” is seasoned with charred garlic, cumin, spicy chili oil, and is served in a jar). Both mezze are served with grilled sour dough bread and pita; like the pide, they are to die for.
Leyla, which opened in 2019, is the creation of Huseyin Ozer (Bodrum), with Executive Chef Mehmet Kabayuka reigning over the kitchen. The restaurant is open for dinner only during weekdays (4:30 to 10:30 p.m.) and also open for brunch on weekends (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) Takeout and delivery both available from 5 to 9 p.m.. The space inside is quite narrow but cozy and elegant, with a mix of traditional and modern Turkish décor. The ambiance is that of a brasserie (which was the intent of the owners) so it is quite bustling and can get a little noisy. For a more intimate experience, try one of the four outdoor tables in the small courtyard in the back or one of the front tables on the sidewalk.
On my last visit it was clear that the secret is out; you will absolutely need a reservation on weekends.
Enjoy your layla at Leyla!
The Dish: Pide: Three-Cheese and Lahmacun ($16 each)
The Restaurant: Leyla, 108 West 74th St. (between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues)
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A beauty indeed… Wouldn’t be surprised if the name referred to 1001 Nights (Alf Layla wa-Layla in Arabic).
And they have such a lovely garden in the back
Husseyin has created a truly excellent, special, outstanding dining experience. I have been going since it opened in 2019 and it never misses.
this place is a gem for all things middle eastern. They have this extra touch of authenticity that makes the whole difference, the lahmacun being a case in point. Whatever spice they use (it’s not just sumac, or if it is, it’s a special kind), it blends in a unique way with the juices of the lamb that makes it… Turkish. As if you had that pide in Instanbul. It is that good
As a devout semi-regular, I can vouch for all of the food offerings. But in truth, I go for the bar. The bartenders are superb and engaging and the owner is chatty and welcoming. The cocktails are properly made and creative and they know their classics. An UWS gem if ever there was one. I take solace in “discovering” Leyla after the closure of my then local Burke & Wills (and Manhattan Cricket Club). B & W is never coming back but thankfully Leyla appears to be going strong!
Love this smart, informed review. Have walked by Leyla more times than I can count. After this review +comments, the fire is in me to try this place. Thanks, Abigael and neighbors!