These smoky shish kebabs in Hyde Park are so friggin' good

When I find myself wanting something familiar, simple – straightforward good – I know exactly what to do. I walk around the corner to Cafe Mediterranean, an excellent and sometimes overlooked Turkish restaurant in Hyde Park.

Here, owner Fahri Ozdil, who hails from Adana, Turkey, is always standing at the host stand or waiting tables or running food. Yes, there are other servers who work here, too – all of whom will make you feel at home – but Ozdil is the heart and soul of this operation.

I almost always order the same thing, the chicken kebob, which arrives on an oval plate with a lightly charred tomato and green pepper, along with carrots, green beans and a little tuffet of rice. The marinated chicken breast is never dry, always tender and smoky with just the right amount of char. It's served off the skewer as three or four lovely little chunks.

I slice everything up with my knife then mix it all up on the plate. Order the kebobs with a cold glass of riesling. Ozdil and his staff will always check in to see how you're doing. To make sure everything is tasting OK. That everything is good.

Cafe Mediterranean, 3520 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, 513-871-8714, mediterranean-cafe.com.

Highly Recommended is a weekly spotlight on some of food writer Keith Pandolfi's favorite finds as he eats his way across Greater Cincinnati. Find more of his recent food writing here.

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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cafe Mediterranean shish kebabs are Hyde Park's definition of goodness