My husband and I had dinner at Troy Mezze last night. We were told we needed reservations which we made. Â When we walked in Sunday evening the place was deserted! Â The server was obviously new and made several mistakes, none serious though. Â Despite the fact that we were the only couple present the service was unbelievably slow. Â They were out of my husand's favorite beer and no Spanokopita which was unexcuseable. Â The food presentation was beautiful. Â I had a mixed grill and my husband had steak kabobs. Â The beef, unfortunately was very tough. But the most disconcerting thing about the restaurant was the presence of fruit flies. Â I eventually called the manager over and he said the building was old, and that they had a constant problem with them and could never seem to eradicate them. Â The flies, tiny though they were was enough to keep us from going back.
Review Source:I came here for a quick lunch with an amazon local deal of $7 for $15 to spend on lunch. I got there a little after they opened and was their first and only customer for the time I was there. It wasn't a big deal and the server  wasn't watching over me in the corner or anything.
Since I had a coupon, I decided to treat myself and went for a 3-course lunch. I started with Troy salad which was a nice way to wake up my appetite. I mentally prepared myself for the fig paste in the salad to look a bit unappealing, but it actually was not bad at all. I barely noticed them. I have always enjoy dried fruits in my salad and the fig paste did not let me down. I imagine it would be a good way to make someone eat a bowl of spinach! For my main course, I was debating between the wrap and the clay pot. I went with the clay pot at the end since I have never had it before. They seasoned the dish really well. I especially enjoy all the squash that came with it. They did not skimp on the meat either! It was a bit more on the hearty and heavy side because of the cheese they add. It was good nonetheless. As for dessert I got baklava in hope that it would be served with strawberries! (I am such a sucker for strawberries... it's a bit ridiculous) unfortunately either because it wasn't strawberry season or that it would add too much to the cost of ingredients, mine was served with strawberry syrup (with real strawberry in it nonetheless!). They served it warm so you can really smell the cinnamon and it smelled amazing! In attempt to save my waistline, I only had a piece and boxed the rest home. I failed miserably and finished all 3 pieces rest of the afternoon...
I had a great meal and would definitely come back again for lunch and dinner.
I was really excited about trying Troy Mezze Lounge. The waiter was energetic, welcoming and for a moment I thought this is going to be a great place. Well, it was until our appetizer  arrived; really bland. It was supposed to be shrimp in honey and white wine sauce but could taste none of the flavors. I got the lamb Turkish pizza and I probably could have gotten a better pizza from a supermarket freezer section. It was the bread we got when we sat down but with regular red sauce, gobs of mozzarella cheese, a few slices of lamb and tomato. I ate half of it because I was hungry, but nothing about said this was a Turkish interpretation on pizza. My dining partner got the chicken clay pot which was was nice, it actually had flavor but once again, it had the mozzarella cheese on top.  When we arrived, the waiter made a big deal that this is the only authentic Turkish restaurant in Raleigh. What we got was a bland and uninspired meal.
Review Source:Mezza Platter had : :
Spinach Tarator - Spinach pureed  in sour cream and home made yogurt and garlic.
Acili Ezme - Crushed tomatoes with Anaheim peppers, spring onions herbs and spices.
Eggplant Combination (Shakshouka) - Fried eggplant, potatoes and carrots cooked in extra virgin olive oil with fresh tomatoes and herbs.
Haydari - Homemade yogurt cheese with walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, fresh mint and garlic.
Lentil Patties (Mercimek Koftesi) - Red lentil patties with green onions, herbs and spices,
Turkish Red Beans (Barbunya Pilaki) - Turkish red beans cooked with carrots, tomatoes and potatoes with fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil. Â
Hummus - Puree of chickpeas with tahini sauce, lemon juice and garlic. Â The Platter also included Stuffed Grape Leaves and we substituted them for more Hummus.
Spanakopita was PERFECT! Â Probably belongs on the "Sicak Mezzeler" menu with the Boregi!!! Â The entire Hot Appetizer menu (as it is not called) looks fantastic!!!
Troy Turkish Iced Tea (Secret chef Ingredients) this one is very Tasty!
Troy Chocolate Krema - Rich chocolate mousse with Turkish coffee, Kahlua and hazelnuts, topped with orange cream... was the Dessert  Chocolate and Rich enough to share with eight people and (there were just two of us)....
Turkish Coffee was not my favorite... this is the version without Cardamom
What we did NOT get on our first visit will take several trips back or taking a bunch of hungry people with us next time: : Sheppard Salad the one with NO Lettuce! Â Kabob Platters and other Main Courses! The Piedler (Turkish Pizza) Menu! Â Lentil Soup! Â The Clay Pot Menu sounded GREAT as well!
We enjoyed our first meal and have to say though not earth scattering was pretty damn good and surprising. We had sampler platter and lamb clay pot, chicken clay pot and a lamb and beef gyro over rice with tomato sauce and tzatziki. Everyone really enjoyed the meal and the service was more than helpful. I went in reading a really negative review so my exceptions were low. What a surprise. Definitely worth checking out. Only complaint is that dinner prices were a little high.
Review Source:Lovely little spot in a cozy corner of City Market in downtown Raleigh. Â We sat outside on a pleasantly chilly fall Saturday evening, and enjoyed watching the foot traffic and people watching in that bustling corner of downtown. The varied menu is mouth watering, and includes cold and hot mezzes (Middle eastern small plates, fit for sharing or keeping to yourself), Turkish pizzas, full-sized entrees, tasty desserts & a decent selection of wine and beer.
If you've never heard of this place, I'm not surprised. Â They seem to have kept a low profile in the year and a half they've been open, and I think it may have kept the place a little more empty than it deserves. Â We were told by our waitress that the place is set to have a change in name and a revamping of the menu, with expansion into more Greek-themed dishes. Â Hope that switch-a-roo ends up being good for business, rather than hurting it, as such changes sometimes do. Â This place deserves more attention than it's gotten.
For mezzes, we tried the house-made stuffed grape leaves (tasty & tart), lentil cakes (not a favorite---pasty, odd, and flavorless), turkish feta pastry (delicious...deep fried feta cheese!), shrimp apricot (good flavor, but very small portion of overcooked shrimp that I think had been frozen), calamari (tasty & light, but again, a small portion), and one other that escapes me. Â Those 6 mezzes plus the delightful (and huge) baklava gelato dessert served as a very filling dinner for 2 of us. Â The third person had the pomegranate lamb shank, a generously portioned entree. Â The person who ate that said the flavor was good, but the meat was incredibly tough. Â He thought next time he'd try a kebab.
Service was great. Â The waitress was helpful, friendly, but not too intrusive. Â Prices are affordable--our bill came out to a little more than $100 for 3 people who were stuffed with food (including dessert) and a bottle of wine.
Overall, a great spot worth checking out!
Early dinner on a Friday night with a very accomodating owner that insured we received personalized service before the wait staff was available. Â A fairly decent selection of beer and wine. Â I would recommend the Troy Mezze appetizer platter which is both authentic and value for the price. Â Make sure you get some fresh made flatbread for dipping into the house's infused olive oil. Â The menu is very authentic with prices that are realistic and a meal that is prepared in a traditional style. Â For a real treat try the clay pot and Turkish Pida (Pizza) with ground lamb. Â The only thing missing was a clientelle but as stated, it was early in the evening.
Review Source:The food was great, very close to authentic, my friend had the lamb and I a clay pot both were fabulous. Our server was great she described and handled the ordering expertly (for those who have not indulged it Turkish cuisine) and kept the meal moving without making us feel rushed. ( Turkish meals tend to be a laid back experience with plenty of time to savor and enjoy the flavors and ambiance of the meal...)
For dessert a truly fine rice pudding and an excellent baklava. Just to top it all off real Turkish coffee, strong and sweet just the way I like it and get coffee in Turkey. All in all a fine meal and experience.
Saw a review of Troy in the independent and decided to give it a try. First, great food - had the lamb shwarma and the Turkish potato soup. The not so great... The wait staff needs better training. She was slow, couldn't pronounce the menu items, and couldn't make sweet tea. Example of her "help": " the potato soup is good, but not as chunky as normal potato soup, it is creamery but with chunks." What is that suppose to mean?!?
Review Source:Turkish Cuisine In Downtown Raleigh
Visit: May 20
R-Line Stop: R16 (before 6:30 pm). R17 (after 6:30 pm)
My husband and I decided to take a break from Artsplosure in Moore Square on Sunday afternoon. Even though there were many tempting food trucks and booths available at the art festival, we opted for a restaurant with seating and service. We haven't had a chance to try Troy even though they opened last year. So it was about time and I'm very glad that we did!
The restaurant had about 6-8 tables set up outside and we arrived in time to snag a coveted outdoor table in the shade. Our waitress immediately showed up and she was very enthusiastic about the cuisine. She answered with gusto a few questions we had about a couple of items. Since we were hungrier than we realized we decided to share a salad while we waited for our entrées. My husband and I agreed on the Troy Salad consisting of spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, goat cheese, toasted almonds, and fig vinaigrette. We ordered the Chicken Wrap Kebab. The kebabs were served with a choice of soup or rice. Andy and I both selected the soup, which was a lentil soup. I really appreciated the option especially since I'm not a fan of rice.
Our waitress kept our water glasses full while we waited for our salad. Unfortunately, our salad was not served until our entrees were ready. Hmm. I had hoped for the salad to munch on asap. Maybe I should have communicated that to our server but I thought that was sort of common practice to have salad first (well, at least it is in the US). When the salad was placed on the table I about had a heart attack because it looked like there was a string of worms on top of the bed of spinach. Ick!!!
Here's the ensuing conversation:
Me: "what is that?" (with a totally disgusted look on my face)
Waitress: "the Troy Salad". (she was very calm when replying.)
Me: "No, what is that brown stuff?" (she seemed perplexed but my finger was pointing at the offensive brown stuff.)
Waitress: "oh, that is the homemade fig dressing. All the dressings are made in house. It's very good." (I could tell she thought it was yummy. Really? Really!)
Me: "O....k." (do I dare try it?)
My husband wasn't enamored with the look of the dressing so he took my fork and along with his, he tossed the salad to disperse the fig vinaigrette. Ok, so I tried it since it looked normal after tossing. It was very good...believe it or not. One of those don't judge a book by it's cover scenarios. The dressing was a little on the sweet side but it had lots of flavor, big on the fig notes (as expected). The spinach was the baby type and fresh and the goat cheese was very tangy and creamy.
What really knocked my socks off was the Chicken Wrap Kebab. There were small chunks of moist chicken with diced cucumbers, tomato, onion, lettuce, and tzatziki sauce wrapped in a grilled Turkish flatbread. There were grill marks on the flatbread and it was warm and toasted...very yummy. But the star of the show was the tzatziki sauce...incredibly fabulicious! I thought the sauce contained more olive oil than yogurt which I found preferable. It had light and creamy consistency. It had a nice citrusy note and some crushed green herb (parsley maybe?). It was really good and made the whole wrap spectacular. Mmm, mm good. The lentil soup also looked different than I expected instead of green whole lentils in a savory broth, I received a golden yellow bisque like soup. It was very pretty with a drizzle of a homemade chili oil on top and tasted good but I needed to add a pinch of salt to boost the flavor. When we were leaving, our waitress asked if we wished to have a To-Go cup for our water since we were going to walk around the arts festival. We declined but I thought that was a super nice touch.
I can't wait to visit again. I'm going to have a hard time deciding if I want to try one of the Clay Pot Dishes with either veggies or shrimp or the Veggie Wrap Kebab on my next visit.
I was pleasantly surprised with how great the food was on this eclectic menu. Â I went with a group of three and we shared the cold mezze platter, a pizza and a clay pot. Â All three were very good and the portions were perfect for sharing. Â The decor is less trendy than most in that area but I actually thought it went well with the style of food. Â At least it made it appear more authentic. One issue, they have their hours posted on the door as open until 2am but they close much earlier. Â It makes sense that they close earlier but the hours posted should reflect actual closing time.
Review Source:I created a yelp profile for the sole reason to review Troy-as I was so sadly disappointed in every aspect of this restaurant that I wanted to save future patrons from the same fate that this meal and restaurant had for me.
We came to dinner at a normally busy Saturday night time (8:45) and the entire restaurant was empty except for two outside tables. We took an outside table and were excited about the potential of the fresh bread and sauce that was left for us immediately. Little did we know that was going to be the highlight of the evening. Our waiter (who was either extremely jaded at his job or extremely stoned) took our order and said it would be out in just a second. This was the first *unsettling* part of the night. We received our (worse than store-bought) grape leaves and questionable appetizer in a few short minutes. I say questionable because the appetizer was definitely not what we ordered........ but also something that didn't match up to any of the listed hot appetizers on the menu. The main dish, a lamb / rice kabob, was edible but mediocre at best. In a town where Sitti is 2 minutes away and Neomonde is an institution to say the least, Troy has no legs to stand on. Yelpers: go with the sure shot and get to Neomonde STAT.
The food was good but I can't imagine I would go back after the poor service that was received on Saturday evening. Â We were seated with a reservation at 7:00PM. Â There were probably no more than 10 tables occupied and 3 wait staff. Â We received water right away, but it took 30 minutes before the waitress asked if we would like to order something else to drink. Â
I never was offered a refill on the water which was almost gone after 30 minutes of waiting to make a drink order.
The portions of the food were a little less than expected, but the dishes we ordered were very flavorful.
From what I understand, they have a great lunch crowd, however dinner....not so much. Â We've driven by many times and it always looks empty at night. Â We finally decided to give it a go the other night after seeing so many rave reviews. Â Overall it's good, but not great in my opinion. Â They have a wine/beer/cocktail list, but was dissappointed that they didn't offer any Turkish wines by the glass - and of the bottles they offer, it's only red, no white. Â I've recently had some great Turkish white wines and was hoping to find something here...
Our waitress appeared to be very new as she had to go ask someone else to answer our questions. Â She was very nice and very prompt however. Â The food is good - we got the mezze sampler appetizer to get a good variety of many things. Â My favorite was the stuffed grape leaves, they were terrific. Â We also shared the calamari app - it was good, but again, I've had better. Â For an entree I got the shrimp clay pot - it was just okay. Â The shrimp were a little tough and the sauce it was in was just okay.
All in all, for a similar feel and menu offerings, I prefer Sitti.
Troy Mezze is great little restaurant, very nice for dinner. Try the Shrimp Apricot - perfectly cooked shrimp in a savory apricot reduction. The appetizer sampler is a great way to get your palate ready for the Turkish flavors. Â I'll echo other reviewer's comment that the dipping sauce for the bread is delighful, but go easy on the bread if you are going to order the "pizzas". The wine list had a range of by-the-glass choices, but they don't sell the Turkish wine by the glass (yet). Good service. I have food allergies so I usually have to forego dessert, but the cook prepared a fresh fruit, dates and nuts dessert for me - much appreciated. We will be back to try the clay pots. Â Reasonable prices.
Review Source:Did lunch here today and was most impressed. Â Had the chicken clay pot and the sample platter. Â The first was a very tasty, perfectly-portioned entree for $7, and the latter ($10) was a great way to taste the various flavor profiles offered at the restaurant. Â In fact, when we asked what the items on the platter were called, the server (who seemed to be functioning in a managerial capacity as well) brought out the dinner menu and showed us the names of the items and how they are connected with individual dishes or larger appetizers. Â Quite helpful. Â
Worth special mention is the baklava. Â It is excellent. Â For $5, you get four nicely-sized pieces with strawberries and a touch of cream. Â Great for sharing. Â
I can see myself eating lunch here frequently. Â The service was good, and the food actually came out quickly (which does not seem to have been the experience of some people whose reviews predate mine). Â I hope this place stays around for a long time.
I like this place a lot. Its in City Market (an piece of Raleigh that I love), has great & friendly wait staff, and delicious food. I've gotten a few things here from the Sebze Kebabi (a vegetable kabab, rice, and some other things) to a few of the Turkish pizzas. It has all been delicious!
Review Source:Troy isn't bad it's ok. The waitress I had must've been on Vicodin b/c she slurred and said off the wall things at times but she was funny. The little clay pots were good, flavor and spice but I wouldn't get them again. The Zucchinni Fritters were just ok-They were greasy and not very flavorful. The Cigaras were really good. The  Pan-seared prawns served over a white wine honey apricot sauce with toasted almonds were also just ok. The best thing was the Grilled sirloin tips served with pomegranate demi-glace and onion rings. This should be a large plate b/c the serving was small but if you get it with other stuff it will be fine. The atmosphere at Troy was nice and the food was good. I've been to other Turkish places where the food was infused with spices and not topped with spices like at Troy. This is a good place to go on a date b/c it's darkly lighted and cozy. The pizza are nice but again nothing wowed me except the Grilled Sirloin Tips. Go to Benelux next door for coffee afterward.
Review Source:been back a couple more times since I did the first review...never had a bad lunch, the clay pots are good on a cold day..the bread and dipping sauce is a great starter. Â The tukish cold tea tastes is a favorite. Â Service has been good and friendly, went the other day with coworkers, the flatbread pizza was done well. Â All four of us plan to come back again. Â Great addition to city market.
Review Source:Have you ever stumbled across a restaurant that's such a gem, you almost find yourself angry that you didn't know about it sooner?
Behold, Troy Mezze. We found this place when we were puttering around downtown Raleigh looking for something out of the ordinary. I've driven through the City market area at least a dozen times prior and had never noticed this place. But I'm glad i did this time around, because it was a real treat.
We ordered four tapas-style entrees, and they were so good I actually can't remember which ones we had. Service was snappy and polite, and the prices were well within the "let's go out and find something cheap and cheerful" range.
We'll be back.
Troy Mezze's dipping sauce is my new obsession. Â I think I might have to Facebook stalk it. Â I am told that it is olive oil, lemon juice, and Turkish spices, but in this case the whole is definitely more than the sum of its parts.
The first time I ordered the sampler platter which was good, but I think the hummos and some of the other items are better at Neomonde. Â
The second time I went, I ordered the lamb/beef wrap with soup. Â The wrap was so delicious with lots of flavorful fresh veggies and a healthy portion of well-seasoned meat. Â The soup that came with it was a creamy potato soup that had a bit of garlic and a peppery flavor to it. Â Both were really good.
I thought it was a pretty good value. Â The whole meal came out to about $9 and I have leftovers.
This is definitely a new regular lunch spot for me. Â
And did I mention the dipping sauce?!?
Who woulda thunk that you could find a nice Turkish restaurant in the middle of City Market? Â Well if you're looking for one, Troy Mezze is a really interesting little spot. Â Behind that small storefront is a great-looking space, clad in maroon and dark woods. Â They've really done a nice job with this restaurant and the ambiance. Â
The lunch menu was decent, salads, wraps and entrees, about 25 choices or so. They start you off with a warm, poppy-sesame seed bread with dipping sauce. And my sweet tea? Â Not the usual stuff, Troy Mezze does a mint tea with ginseng and orange peel. Â My lentil soup was lightly flavored with really delicate seasoning and my gyro was great! Â Really well-done with lots of chopped onion, lettuce, tomato and tzatziki sauce with plenty of meat. Â Troy Mezze is definitely putting some effort into their food: fresh, flavorful and well-seasoned. Â
At night they sometimes have a belly dancer and live music so this sultry little lunch spot can be totally different in the later hours. Â But if you work in the area and want something different, Troy Mezze is a great little spot for some Mediterranean inspired food.
We have been to Troy several times. Â Love the dumplings and also the apricot shrimp. Â Try the Turkish pizza just don't expect it to be round. Â Main course choices Alexander Gyro or one of the clay pots are wonderful. Â Can't wait to return for the highly recommended Pomegranate Lamb Shank. Â Save room for the fig cake.....yummy.
Review Source:A nice change of pace for Turkish food in the Raleigh area. The staff here is good, although a bit slow; the chef more than willing to create a special dish; and the atmosphere and decor is quite refreshing -- a mix of hip and cozy.
The food, though, is hit or miss, but I attribute that to Troy Mezze still being a relatively new establishment. I didn't love it all, but didn't hate any of it, either. The vegetable guvec is fresh, and lightly spiced but could have used some more "oomph". The pickled red cabbage is nicely tart and slightly sweet all at the same time and is a perfect side dish with the right amount of zing. The side order of it is enough for two people. Had I known the guvec came with a small serving of red cabbage, I probably wouldn't have ordered the full side. I wasn't too crazy about the bread served at the beginning of the meal, but the dipping oil it was served with was really good.
I went with a group of friends for lunch, when there were only a few people, and the chef, who likely tries out new recipes during the slower periods, made a roasted eggplant appetizer with a light yogurt sauce that left me asking several times if that was really eggplant. It was incredible. The chef said he didn't really have a recipe for it, he was experimenting. I hope he adds that to the menu.
Our group also shared a pizza topped with kasari, feta and mozzarella cheeses. Although it was okay, and most everyone liked it, there was something missing for me and I'm not sure what exactly. Since nearly everyone else liked it, my taste buds must have been having an off day.
Overall, Troy Mezze is worth trying again, and I'm intrigued enough by the menu to do exactly that.
This place is amazing! Â It's a low key, casual spot with incredible food. Â The mezze sampler is incredible! Â I've ordered that every time I've been. Â The Turkish pizzas will rock your world! Â The sesame crust is thin, crispy and delicious! Â I had a lamb stew that was cooked in a clay pot that was also incredible. Â The service is friendly, yet a little slow; however, I don't mind because it's such a relaxing atmosphere. Â I am already a regular!
Review Source:Authentic Turkish food downtown? Yes!! And I'm not talking about just kebabs on rice either!
Starved for a new restaurant experience in Downtown Raleigh, my friend and I ventured out to City Market recently to give Troy a try. She's a vegetarian, so we're always looking for something friendly for her, easy on the wallet, but upscale enough to make a strong martini!
The restaurant (and their lackluster website) are a little bland on ambience, but the drinks were fantastic (and very reasonably priced). $7 for a cosmo! Heaven help me!
My friend and I both ordered a few tapas for our meal. We weren't blown away with our choices, but that wouldn't discourage us from coming back and ordering something else. They have a fairly extensive menu and we were pretty overwhelmed. Also, I can say they were very accommodating with my allergies.
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