Sultan Mediterranean Restaurant Takeaway. Sultan's selection of Mediterranean specialties satisfies. Based on a strong recommendation from a friend, we went on a date night with some friends. Sultan did not disappoint. It deservrers a solid, round 8.5/10. An 8.5 is a very good score for me, putting it in the top 20% of restaurants.
The restaurant setting is practical, but the food is awesome. The Baba Ganoush was exceptionally garlicky and smoky, and the Ali Naza beef kebab was fantastic. The vegetarian rice pilaf didn't taste quite as good as it looked, an the same could be said for the pita.
But those are nit picks, Sultan was great.
For anyone seeking high-quality Mediterranean food in St. Louis, Sultan is a must-try. It's a place that's been around for a while, surviving the pandemic, yet had somehow flown under our radar. Parking on, or around, Manchester should be easy, even during prime time.
Sultan Mediterranean Restaurant Experience Summary
My wife and I went out to Sultan for a Saturday night date night with another close couple. We got the rec for Sultan from good friends who insisted it's one of the better Middle Eastern places in the area. They were even jealous that they couldn't come with us.
To be frank, we knew we were in for something delicious.
I was surprised I hadn't heard of it before, since it's been open for at least five years and my wife and I love this kind of food. It's located on Manchester, which is quickly becoming my favorite road for food in St. Louis.
My buddy told me that Manchester used to be a place you didn't want to be at night, but now it's packed with breweries, bars, and restaurants. I really enjoy the vibe there now.
Getting a table required a little strategy. We tried to call to get on the waitlist, but they directed us to their website. But the waitlist feature isn't on their website. It's integrated with Google Maps.
Once we found it, it worked perfectly. We were number five on the list when we left home, number four when we arrived, and we were seated after only about 15 minutes of waiting inside.
The service was quick, fast, and reliable. Appetizers came out promptly, and the entrées arrived with perfect timing. This was especially impressive because the restaurant was packed. The whole time we were there, from 6:30 PM until they closed around 8:30 PM, people were waiting for a table.
The food delivered on our friends recommendation. My favorite was my own dish Ali Naza, which brought me back to one of my favorite Turkish dishes, Ali Nazik. The baba was also best in clas.
We decided, as a rule of thumb at the table, get any dish that has the word Kebob or meat in it.
The Food At Sultan
Overall, the food was really good, liked I said top 20% of mediterranean/middle eastern restaurants I've been to in my life.
We started with the Baba Ganoush, which was excellent. It was very, very garlicky, which I enjoy, and had that rich, smoky eggplant flavor. All while being nice and creamy.
The Fattoush salad was also excellently put together. Whenever you got a lucky bite with a piece of fried pita, it was an extra special treat for your tongue.
The pita bread itself was a carbohydrate enigma. It felt delicious, if that makes sense. It was pillowy with some nice charred parts on it.
For how good it felt, I was a little disappointed in how it tasted. Again, to be nitpicky, I think it could have used more fermentation in the starter for more of a sourdough flavor, but it was still very good.
For my main course, I got the Ali Naza, which is beef kebabs over an eggplant and garlic yogurt sauce. The sauce is a yogurty, garlicky creation, similar to tzatziki but more intense on the garlic and lighter on the dill. It was fantastic. The beef kebab was perfectly marinated, tender, and juicy. I have no complaints there.
My wife got the rice pilaf, which is one of the most reviewed items on Yelp. She ordered the version without meat, and we think that was our mistake.
There was a LOT of rice. The dish felt like it fell a little flat without the meat to balance the sweet raisins and pistachios. However, it came with an excellent tzatziki sauce and a delicious chopped tomato salad on the side. They do everything well here. We just think we should have ordered the meat version.
Our friends got the chicken and lamb kebabs and both of them licked their plates clean, literally, so they clearly enjoyed their meals.
The portions were very filling. I was able to eat all of my food, but just barely.
Price-wise, it was $60 for the two of us after tax and tip. That included splitting an appetizer with our friends and two entrées. With no drinks, that feels perfectly reasonable for a dinner out.
Oh and they don't serve alcohol.
Sultan Atmosphere And Miscellaneous
The restaurant is located in an old brick building that takes up both sides for a duplex type setup. Ut's not a small place.
There are probably 30 to 40 tables in there, and they were all full the entire night we were there. The constant crowd made it feel alive and popular, but it wasn't loud.
And it most definitely wasn't "trendy".
A couple of important things to note: Sultan does not serve any alcohol, and I am not sure if it is BYOB. They also close relatively early, even on a Saturday night at 8:30 PM.
They have a bunch of vegetarian options available on the menu.
Parking At Sultan
Parking was easy to find. We had no problem finding a spot on a side street just a minute's walk from the restaurant, and so did our friends.
Some of the alleys off Manchester can get a little sketchy, but the main street is so well lit and there are so many people around that I felt perfectly safe.
Sultan Receipt