Savory Specialties, Syrupy Sweets

in new york city you have only to think of a restaurant specializing in poached eggs or the cuisine of papua new guinea, and chowhounders will soon be telling you the cross streets. dream of a café selling myriad types of baklava? your culinary prayers are answered with the opening of midtown's güllüoglu.

long known as a purveyor of baklava imported from turkey, güllüoglu is a sleek, sophisticated café with aerial images of istanbul on the glass tabletops. make it past the displays of baklavas and other desserts oozing cream and honey, and you'll see a wide array of authentic savory specialties.

from peynirli su boregi, feta cheese pastry ($4.50), to acma, a special salty donut with cheese or black olive paste ($2.50), none were more than $6. i chose a gul boregi with spinach and tiny pieces of seasoned beef ($2.95) rolled inside phyllo leaves and shaped into a spiral. it's subtle, not heavy, leaving you enough room to try a dessert, such as tavuk gogusu, "exotic pudding with a touch of chicken breast." hmm. not feeling that adventurous, i ordered mini-portions of sobiyet, squishy baklava with pistachio and cream filling ($3.25) and crunchy durum ($3.75), dubbed a "pistachio lovers' favorite" for its high ratio of pistachio to syrup.

-- güllüoglu 982 second ave. (at east 52nd street) 212-813-0500