Turkish Delight: Tava Wins Beautification Award

Diners in search of burgers or baba ganoush would do well to stroll through the welcoming doors of restaurant which serves up both Mediterranean cuisine and American diner fare with style and panache.

Recently named "Best Turkish" restaurant by Long Island Pulse magazine, Tava's crisp red, black and gold façade has also garnered the merchant another prize: the latest Golden Storefront Award, bestowed by community groups and the

"Tava's elegant exterior has brightened up this stretch of middle Main Street for the past three years," said Mindy Germain, executive director of RFMBPW. "Tava helped anchor this area as a new 'restaurant row' and the block has since welcomed the and Wild Honey," added Germain.

Tava's regal red and gold façade showcases twin dining rooms, one featuring elegant Ottoman Empire cuisine and the other a family-friendly counterpart dishing up burgers, fries and American comfort foods. While the dining rooms are separate, they share a common exterior wall featuring full length casement windows that open to the street.

"We wanted to be more welcoming," said owner Nesli Ciner of the sizeable windows.  "It almost gives you an outside seating area and it makes it so welcoming."

Ciner and her husband Sunay Cmer are the consummate hosts, offering warm words and regular drink specials at Tava's bar and have added belly-dancing and live music on certain nights. "We want to increase traffic," said Cmer, of the restaurant's entertainment offerings.

During the upcoming "Port Night Out" shop locally initiative sponsored by local merchants on Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, Tava will offer half price drinks at the bar, gift items for sale and live music as well as free snacks and special prizes.

The "Golden Storefront" recognizes businesses for maintaining an attractive storefront and well-groomed sidewalk. It is awarded monthly. Tava is the 13th merchant to win the award since the program was launched in October 2009.

Previous winners include: , , White + 1, , , , , Baltimore Design Center, , , , Capital One Bank and the . Votes for merchants can be cast at Residents' web site.