The Bite: Opera Cafe’s Sinfully Luxurious Lamb Shank

THE BITE: There’s a piece of meat on Emmons Avenue so luxuriously rich, it will melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more.

The lamb shank at Opera Cafe & Lounge, located at 2255 Emmons Avenue, is slowly cooked for four to five hours until the meat is so tender it peals right off the bone. Topped with roasted eggplant, green pepper, tomato, and dripping in its own juices, $20.75 seems like a reasonable price for this hearty hunk of meat, which comes with a hearty serving of creamy mashed potatoes, as well.

Opera Cafe & Lounge, which specializes in Turkish cuisine, opened in June 2012 in a location that’s seen three other Turkish restaurants come and go. Unlike the more casual dining experiences offered by its predecessors, Opera’s atmosphere is all about Mediterranean elegance: Multi-colored lamps dangle from the ceiling, casting blue and red flares over the wooden tables and cushiony chairs. The restaurant also has a spacious outdoor seating area overlooking the bay — a perfect place to enjoy Turkish coffee ($3) while watching the sunset this summer.

A waiter once told me the best measure of a restaurant is the quality of its bread — because small details should matter to a truly dedicated chef. Opera certainly scores on that point. The bread is warm, fresh, and delicately crunchy. I used mine to scoop up the yogurt dip ($6.50), also known as haydari, which is served cold and mixed harmoniously with dill, garlic, and olive oil.

At $27.25 plus tax and tip, this two-course meal might not be for the grab-and-go crowd, but it is worthy of a special dining experience. However, if the bread is any indication, then Opera’s less expensive wraps, soups, and breakfast plates are certainly worthwhile for less extravagant meals.

Opera Cafe & Lounge, 2255 Emmons Avenue, between Dooley and East 23rd, 718-676-2992. Open 8am until 2am daily.

The Bite is Sheepshead Bites’ column exploring the foodstuffs of the Sheepshead Bay area. Each week we check out a different offering from one of the many restaurants, delis, food carts, bakeries, butchers, fish mongers, or grocers in our neighborhood. If it’s edible, we’ll take a bite.