To be fair, the newly opened Bridge Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine restaurant in Teaneck had an edge that other new restaurants don’t often have.
Its older “sister” restaurant in Highland Park, the Bridge Turkish and Mediterranean Grill, has a strong track record and has built a following of satisfied customers all across New Jersey—including many people from Bergen County. So when the owners of the Highland Park restaurant, Tulay and Sam Eriske, were looking to expand their restaurant’s footprint, opening another establishment in Teaneck was a logical step.
Speaking to The Jewish Link, Sam stated: “Everyone has been so helpful in Teaneck” in setting up the new restaurant, which opened on Dec. 5, and he singled out the members of the RCBC for particular praise. He added that “the people in Teaneck have shown us a great response.” He said that about 75% of the people who visit Bridge Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine have already tried the Bridge restaurant in Highland Park.
He noted they have also seen a lot of customers from the Highland Park area traveling up to Teaneck to try the new eatery, leading Tulay (who now oversees the Highland Park restaurant) to tell him: “You’re stealing my customers!”
Bridge Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine has seating for 75 people in its main dining room and plans to open an adjoining party room that will seat 65 additional people sometime in the spring.
Asked what are the most popular dishes in the new restaurant, Eriske stated that the gyro, chicken shish kabob, lamb patties, and the pide (stuffed flatbread) dishes are ordered most frequently. The restaurant offers an expansive menu of dishes, including soups, salads, 11 types of cold appetizers, seven hot appetizers, 17 lamb and beef entrees, six poultry entrees, four fish entrees, four vegetarian entrees, four kebabs, 11 combination dishes, and four pide dishes. Dessert options include baklava, tiramisu, parve cheese cake, and chocolate mousse cake.
Judging from the reactions heard from diners at Bridge Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine on Dec. 27, the restaurant is well positioned for a long and successful run in Teaneck.
Dina and Mark Sterman of New Rochelle visited the restaurant with their daughter Rachel Sterman-Rosenbaum from Riverdale. The Stermans shared a chicken combination plate and ordered an avocado roll for the table; Mark had a lentil soup as well. Sterman-Rosenbaum had chicken soup and a gyro.
Dina shared: “The food was delicious, with very distinctive flavoring. It was much better than the typical dishes at other places, with a great mix of spices, very tasty!” She also praised the generous portion sizes. Sterman-Rosenbaum added that the entrees came with lots of side dishes, which she said “were all very good.” Mark shared that they eat out fairly often, so they consider themselves discriminating customers; they were very pleased with their meal at Bridge Turkish and look forward to coming back.
Aliza and Roniel Weinberg came from their home in Bergenfield to try Bridge Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine. She had the smoky eggplant with chicken, which she praised as “delicious and authentically Turkish tasting”; he had the mixed grill platter, which he said was “very tasty.” He said that “this place is an excellent addition to the repertoire of restaurants in the neighborhood; we wish them much success.”
Avi and Cindy Berger of Edison enjoyed a cold appetizer plate with a Shepherd’s salad, then a mixed grill platter. They are fans of the Bridge restaurant in Highland Park and came to try Bridge Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine in Teaneck. Avi commented: “The new restaurant extends the great service and high quality food we’ve grown to love in Highland Park. And we really appreciate the very relaxing atmosphere of the Teaneck location.” Cindy continued: “I really like that you can have a good conversation at dinner in the Teaneck location and it’s not loud, even when it’s busy. And the rib-eye shish kabobs were absolutely delicious!”
Bridge Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine
461 Cedar Lane, Teaneck
(201) 357-4405
Hours:
Sun-Thurs.: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fri.: 11 a.m.-two hours before Shabbat
Sat.: During daylight savings time, 1 hour after Shabbat concludes
Under the strict supervision of the Va’ad HaRabbanim-Rabbinical Council of Bergen County (RCBC)
Look for the convenient parking lot, right behind the restaurant, with ample parking for all diners.
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at [email protected].
