Plates of Turkish cuisine sail through the warmly lit dining room of Saray Restaurant, landing on tablecloths to dispatch kebabs, seafood, and vegetarian entrees straight to palates. The cozy den of Eastern delights has scooped up oodles of accolades with its sesame-flecked pita, including a spot on Boston magazine's Best of Boston 2008 list and praise from the Boston Globe, which called the restaurant "remarkable - and totally authentic."

Hot appetizers such as feta-spangled fried-zucchini pancakes and cold starters of stuffed grape leaves prime taste buds for Mediterranean feasts. Guests tuck into char-grilled striped bass and lamb-stuffed cabbage rolls during breaks between sword fights with kebab skewers dotted with chicken meatballs, lamb, vegetables, and cabbage. At the Boston University–area storefront, a false rooftop creates a village feel, and skillets hang invitingly behind a semicircular window.