Turks & Frogs Tribeca (CLOSED)

Mood trumps food at this spin-off of the popular West Village wine bar–antique shop. The wrought-iron chandeliers and candleholders, for example, aren’t just exotic accessories—they’re for sale. If only the Turkish cuisine were as high-concept. The dishes frequently come across as mediocre home cooking—one careless plate served after another. A recent meal began with a too-chilled, bland artichoke with congealed lemon-olive oil dressing, followed by an entrée of mint-and-lamb–stuffed dumplings smothered in thick yogurt, which were pleasantly creamy at first bite but proved to be leaden—due in part to the high ratio of dough to meat. And the same messy salad, with coarse romaine and other painfully conventional ingredients (red onion, flavorless tomato), appeared not only with our calf-liver appetizer but also with the dry grilled sea bass. Frankly, it’s surprising to find such a lack of finesse at an establishment that clearly values appearances. Our advice: Order some Turkish wine (there are four by the glass), enjoy the scenery and consider bringing a tape measure instead of your appetite.