We had dinner here Saturday night during the Fire and Ice First Saturday. We made reservations and I'm glad we did because they were packed out. I haven't had such a pleasant dining experience in awhile and this is certainly my new favorite in Frederick. Our server, Abraham was great. He made some good recommendations and also kept our dishes staggered so we never had too much at once. I can't remember the names of everything we got but a few standouts were the sucak pide, the duck pastry and the carrot fritters. We will definitely be back!

A new favorite "find"! We tried Ayse last night for the first time from a recommendation of a friend. It was fabulous! From our greeting at the door, to our service throughout, it was a real treat. Charlie, our waiter, did a fantastic job and made us feel welcome as well as being very helpful. The inside is inviting, and we can't wait to go back during warmer weather, bring friends, and enjoy the patio outside. The Gamla Pinot Noir from Israel was very good. All the wines are reasonable. Please don't ever take the scallops off the menu! I'll be back for those, as well as those brussel sprouts. If you think you don't like them, you haven't had them here! Great job!!

The Frederick restaurant scene just keeps getting better and Ayse Meze is in the top three, along with Wine Kitchen and Tasting Room. People now have at least three good reasons to make the trek to Frederick from Baltimore or DC! The food was perfectly prepared, service was superb and attentive, and this was a very comfortable and lively setting. The owner was born in Turkey but he wanted to provide a taste of the best of the Mediterranean including Lebanese, Greek, Cypriot, and even Italian influences - it works very well. Each of the shareable dishes are beautifully prepared and served hot from the oven. They include a healthy mix of fresh vegetables, nuts, and other ingredients rich in monounsaturated oils, flavonoids, and other mediterranean diet benefits (add in a Turkish red wine for maximum health benefits!). Most importantly, each dish was a delicious taste surprise that seemed to top the previous one. A must-order dish, is the bruksel lahanasi (roasted brussel sprouts) - I never imagined that I would hear my wife say that she liked brussel sprouts - this is a truly delightful dish. We tried the sampler of six different spreads, ranging from a black olive tapenade-like specialty (my favorite) to spicy, cool, Baba ganoush, and even a slightly sweet nutty spread - these were served with right-out-of-the-oven fresh pita bread. The xtemia scallops were perfect. The sigara ordek (crispy duck pastry with raki-fig puree) had a surprisingly delicate mix of flavors. The saganaki (melted kasseri cheese) was flamed with brandy in a great show at the table and was absolutely delicious scooped up with pieces of pita. We had a "Maryland" pide (stuffed pita) with crabmeat, cooked in the 600 degree wood fired oven (you can watch this cooking over near the elegant bar area). I had to try a soup; the spiced red lentil was a refreshing mix of fresh tasty ingredients. Even the mushrooms were special, cooked with dates, almonds, and brandy. We had no room left for any of the specials (I wanted to try the dorade fish, flown in from Izmir) and never got to any of the other meats dishes, or even the dessert. That, and a turkish coffee, will be on the next visit, very soon! For less adventurous individuals there are some other conventional food choices including a suitable kids menu; adults can order a hamburger, but even this can be upgraded to a lamb burger as one gets hooked on the mediterrranean taste treats. The price tag was surprisingly low for this fabulous feast. There are also special themed dinners offered each month, including cooking demonstrations. How can you beat fun, exciting, and delightful!?

First time visitor.....highly pleased! All the food had a great balance of flavors and textures. The portions were generous for "small plates" and the prices were reasonable. Our table had a fair sampling of menu items. A couple, but not all, of the things we enjoyed: brussels sprouts....YUM, roasted eggplant....very good and eggplant is usually not my fav, 6 spread sampler.....very, very good. I had a very nice glass of pinot noir from Israel. For the folks who enjoy more familiar food choices, there were things like hamburgers, steak and french fries also on the menu. There were Brewer's Alley beers available. Our server Matthew had great menu recommendations and service. I look forward to returning.