Hummus, a Love Song

And on the subject of boring: Few things are duller than tofu, but Iliki's kitchen gives soybean curd style and substance, pan searing the pale, wobbly stuff until it's firm and just on the edge of crispiness, splashing it with hot Thai chili paste and serving it gorgeously fanned out on a bed of basmati rice. I also loved the plate of kofte, spicy, herb-laden meatballs of ground beef sautéed with fresh tomatoes and potatoes and topped with a dollop of creamy garlic sauce.

Desserts, however, were less entrancing. After grabbing my attention with promises of fresh pineapple or blackberry sorbet, our server returned to halfheartedly explain that neither was available. When I had dined with Steve, he'd ordered the baklava, which, the server proudly said, "wasn't gooey or chewy like other places." After two bites of the dry, undistinguished pastry, we agreed that we preferred the gooey, chewy kind. And the wedge of flourless chocolate cake was as dense as fudge but slightly gritty and gave us too much of a sugary jolt.

But even if the desserts weren't exactly a Turkish delight, the rest of the dining experience certainly was. The service was patient and friendly, the portions generous, the wine list clearly assembled by a connoisseur. It's pretty sophisticated for the Northland, which may explain why it's always so busy.