If you read classics as a kiddo, you’re probably familiar with at least the opener of CS Lewis’ Narnia series. The first book is where you learned about Turkish Delight: a treat so delicious that it inspires one character to rat-out his own siblings to the evil empire.
Every once in a while, you see Turkish Delight in suspicious boxes at discounters like TJ Maxx. Having purchased one of these boxes, it’s honestly hard to understand how this “treat” could be the food of betrayal. It’s like firm, rose-flavored jello. Gross.
But, that’s not all there is to Turkish Delight. Oh no. There is a place in Hilliard that sells Turkish Delight in a myriad flavors, shelves full of too many variants to count. It’s called Citadel Cafe. It’s a strip-mall coffee shop that also offers sandwiches, ice cream and baked goods.
The Turkish Delight is sold in cube-like slices, and the squarish chunks are prettier than the suspicious jello in the TJ Maxx box, that’s for sure. When the light catches them, they glimmer in jewel-like colors. The options include pomegranate, raisin, lemon-coconut… it’s hard to pick a flavor. Arbitrarily, we went with Double-Pistachio, Orange Hazelnut Pistachio and Honey Pistachio.
There’s a lot of pistachio involved in Turkish Delight.
But that’s a good thing. The pistachios give it some heft and texture. Overall, the offerings are much less like jello and much more like an interesting sugary, sticky, fruity fudge. If you’ve ever had Orange Slice candy, the orange version’s flavor is like that.
We test-drove a couple of house sandwiches, too. A tray up-front held pre-made chicken and beef wraps ready to grab-and-go* for $5. Built on a poofy, thick pita with a shredded slaw mix, they’re a decent, fast sustenance option.
You can find Citadel Cafe, and Turkish Delight, at 4734 Cemetary Rd.
*It’s almost grab-and-go. The server said that the beef version had to be heated before it could be sold. If you’re in a hurry, stick with the chicken.
For more information, visit citadelcafehilliard.com.