Mint Café Mediterranean Kitchen: A downtown spot for gyros and other favorites

You might walk past Mint Café Mediterranean Kitchen without noticing it. But this small downtown Seattle cafe, run by Turkish immigrant Mustafa Demirbag, serves satisfying, affordable plates of Mediterranean favorites.

Demirbag says all the dishes except for the lamb and beef gyros are made in-house from scratch.

The menu: It's traditional Mediterranean fare — falafel, gyros, kofte kebab and various phyllo pastries. You can get the entrees as wraps ($5.59) or on a platter ($7.49) with tabbouleh and hummus. Either way, they are served with lettuce, onions and tomatoes, and drizzled with tzatziki sauce (yogurt mixed with garlic, salt and other seasonings).

Those needing a jolt can order the Turkish coffee, served in tiny ceramic cups.

What to write home about: The kofte kebab (minced lamb meat) and falafel are simple but delicious. Cumin spices up both dishes, balanced by parsley in the kebab and mint in the falafel.

The baklava, phyllo filled with chopped nuts, was chewy and not too sweet.

What to skip: The spanakopita ($7.49), a phyllo pastry layered with feta cheese and spinach, struck us as far too starchy. It needs less dough and more cheese and spinach.

The setting: Mint Café is a takeout joint with a few small tables and chairs.

Summing up: We noshed on plates of kofte kebab and falafel ($7.49 each), savored the baklava ($2) and finished up with Turkish coffee ($2.50, dine-in only). With tax, the total was $23.52.

Sanjay Bhatt: 206-464-3103 or sbhatt@seattletimes.com