Constantine’s Restaurant — Restaurant in Gastonia

I met a friend for an early dinner, and they had mentioned a new Mediterranean restaurant in Gastonia. I knew nothing about Constantine’s other than it was located where a former Korean restaurant had been. Hence, the Asian inspired architectural details which made me wonder if I was in for a weird Asian-European fusion confusion experiment. But I wanted to try someplace new, so I was game.

It wasn’t Asian anything. I walked in to find red and white tablecloths, wine and water glasses, starter plates, and “real” metal cutlery on the tables! This is atypical Gastonia, so I was actually surprised. Not to knock the city, but chain, family-style and fast food restaurants are typical. Instead, I was pleased by the ambiance and enjoyed listening to Turkish pop and traditional music as I decided. So many choices.

After looking at the comprehensive menu (with clear descriptions and color pics), I learned that the food was not simply Mediterranean, but specifically Turkish cuisine-though they do offer spaghetti with several sauces.

I’ve eaten all kinds of foods, Ethiopian, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, but I’ve eaten at one other Turkish restaurant in a nearby town. And while that was food was good, that restaurant had zero ambience with plastic forks and reminded me of a converted Subway. I mention it as a point of reference: Constantine’s is a real sitdown restaurant, and the food is excellent.

We were early, so service was quick. Our servers were friendly, pleasant, and were happy to answer questions about the menu. I joked with our server that he had sold me on a dish. His reply was “he didn’t sell me. I bought it.” That was a great snapback. Funny.

After our order was taken, we were presented with balloon bread, which was as fun to look at as it was to eat. The balloon collapsed when a piece is torn away to dip into the provided condiment. I asked what it was, surprised by the condiment’s sweetness, expecting a savory taste. It was a freshly made spiced pear jam and reminded me of a tomato preserve. It was good. But I would have enjoyed a savory yogurt sauce a little more.

I searched the wine menu, but as I‘m unfamiliar with Turkish wines, I asked the server to choose, and he brought a smooth red wine that held a hint of berries. He told me what it was, but I can’t remember. It was good and exactly what I wanted.

Again, I asked the server to choose the main course for me since the dishes were unfamiliar. I was in the mood for lamb, and he suggested the lamb stew, moutanjana.

We eat with our eyes, and the presentation was beautiful. They made the food look as good as it tasted. The moutanjana was served in a domed metal casserole that was hot to touch. The fragrant stew was nestled in a shallow clay dish, bubbling hot. It was fresh off the stove and out of the pot. But it was the savory aroma that made me dig in.

The lamb was tender, falling-off-the-fork tender. It was served with stewed fruit, which, I admit, I was willing to try but wasn’t my favorite. I guess it’s a difference in palates, what we are used to eating. But it was authentic Turkish food, and that’s part of the joy of discovering new cuisines and cultures. You have to try it to know if you like it. While the fruit didn’t appeal to me, the gravy, lamb, pearl onions and garlic did.

My friend had the moussaka, and they said it was the most flavorful moussaka they’d eaten.

The only negative for me is that the prices were a little steep (for the area), but the adage “you get what you pay for” held true. My dinner total came to about $40 including the wine, excluding my 20% tip. This was big-city dining with wonderful food, great service and a very nice atmosphere. I recommend Constatine’s, and I’m excited to try a new...

So I'm a 60-something, first generation Turkish-American, born and raised in Ohio (Go Bucks!). My two older brothers and late parents were all born in Turkey. All 4, amazing. I'm so lucky. The very special one was my late mother. Just an incredible woman from Nevsehir, Turkey. Not only was she at the top of her class in Istanbul University, she used to help the Professors teach classes. They begged her not to get married and stay to become a Professor herself.

Well, she was also the best Turkish cook of all the Turkish ladies in Columbus, OH decades later. Man, back then I just didn't know how good I had it in my youth. I ate like a Sultan. I have been in Turkish restaurants all around the US and Turkey. My first trip to Constantine's, and as soon as saw the menu online, I knew I was walking into the real deal. Very, very few Turkish restaurants in the US have Manti (Turkish Ravioli but sooo much better than the plain American ravioli). To make it fresh, its very time consuming. It used to be a special occasion on a Sunday 3 or 4 times a year growing up.

So I had to order the Manti, of course. It was the real deal. I knew it was after the first bite, but I still had to ask. See, there is variant of Manti that is an easier version, quicker to prepare, but not totally made from scratch and fresh, to use the American vernacular. In Turkish, we call it 'yalanci Manti' (liar Manti). I asked Hasan or Hussein, the owner, in Turkish 'this isn't yalanci Manti, is it?' We laughed.

Folks, I'll get to the point now and close. You are ridiculously lucky to have this gem in lil' ol 'Gastonia. Heck yes, its worth the trip from Charlotte, no brainer. Nothing like this in Charlotte. Salad wise, the Shepard's salad (Coban salata) is a must. Everything on the menu is going to delight, so whatever your tastes are, order it, but don't be afraid to try new things. The closest Turkish restaurant in authenticity and quality to this gem is in Chapel Hill. Enjoy! Afiyet Olsun! (Bon apetit in Turkish)

To the owner: "Husseincigim, Masallah" (My dear Hussein, as God willed it/or God has blessed it) "Tebrik ederim" (I...

Before I give my entire review of this establishment, I want to be clear: I paid (for my food) to write this review. No one paid me to do this.

Now on to business. My boyfriend & I decided to try this restaurant on a Friday night. We’ve never had Turkish food before but we are extremely open to trying new things for the experience. I didn’t realize eggplant was such a big part of their food. Being from the South, eggplant isn’t a food I’m very familiar with. Decided to try a dish with it being the base. It was phenomenal. Will be adding this vegetable to my side dish menu. My biggest delight from this dish was that I didnt feel stuffed or “heavy” (for lack of a better word) after finishing it. Typically in dishes, the base is potatoes & they are so heavy. You have no room for dessert. Happily in this case, I had room. For dessert, I got the Baklava. I definitely didn’t know it was mostly pistachios & probably wouldn’t have gotten it if I had known (looked up the menu before hand & the picture looked good). Slightly embarrassed I was ignorant enough to ask the manager (had no clue he was the manager) what made up the center of the pastry (pistachios 😅). The manager spoke to us for a few minutes because I was extremely curious about their culture & his story of ending up in Gastonia. He kindly feed into my interrogation. He was incredibly kind, personable & inspiring. It isn’t easy having a very specific ethnic restaurant in the heart of a southern town but he & his partners pull it off with flying colors. The food is delicious & everyone should try it.

Please be sure to make reservation on the weekends (they are reservation only on the weekends) so you don’t get offended that you won’t be served without one & write a one star review to try to assert some sort of false...