Sheepshead Bay’s Newest Seafood Restaurant, Cipura, Opens In Lundy’s Building
Sheepshead Bay’s newest oceanside seafood restaurant opened its doors for the first time last week in the west side of the historic Lundy’s building.
The new restaurant, called Cipura after the bream fish caught off the coasts of Turkey, Greece, and Israel, competes with other Mediterranean/Turkish restaurants along Emmons Avenue, like Opera and Istanbul Restaurant. Although Cipura is open to the public, the restaurant’s owner said this is part of the “soft opening,” and expects to officially cut the ribbon for the new business and begin an aggressive TV marketing campaign in mid-October.
Owner Michael Polat, who moved to New York from Istanbul 20 years ago, said the menu includes many of the popular dishes he enjoyed growing up, while also taking inspirations from Greek and Italian cooking.
The restaurant, tucked into the corner of Lundy’s along East 19th Street, is positioned to catch the evening sun as it shines through the west-facing windows and lands on the sparkling tableware, white cloths, and emerald green upholstery.
The restaurant’s namesake dish, Cipura ($23), like several other fish on the menu, is served whole. The fish arrives with a cluster of steamed vegetables, which are bathed in butter and cooked just enough so they maintain their snappy crunch. The aroma of the fish is like a love letter to your senses, and once you dig into the flesh, you’re rewarded with a tender, delicate, and subtly flavored bite that you’ll want to savor.
Cipura also offers several seafood appetizers, including the Levrek Marine ($11), a Branzino filet marinated in olive oil, and sea scallops rolled in homemade Turkish pastrami ($16). However, I was most intrigued by the Tarama ($8), a salmon roe spread made by hand-whipping the fish eggs with olive oil until they turn into a tangy cream. The spread can simply be eaten with a spoon, though it’s best when smeared onto Cipura’s crunchy artisanal bread.
Manager Ozzy Kara said the chef has headed kitchens in Paris, Turkey, and Milan. The goal of the restaurant, he said, is to offer a Manhattan experience at affordable prices for people dining in Sheepshead Bay. If you’ve checked it out yet, what do you think — does it live up to that description?
