Cousin's

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The Scene
Cousin's narrow storefront entrance is deceptive; the Turkish restaurant's dining room is twice as big as you'd expect, with two ornately decorated rooms offering seating at banquettes, tables and roomy window seats piled with pillows and rugs. The prime location on Broadway makes for great people-watching, while the varied, vegetarian-friendly menu draws a mixed crowd of casual Lakeview types.

The Food
You can't go wrong with standard starters like stuffed grape leaves, hummus or baba ghanoush. Dense, nutty falafel is worth a try too--whether folded in a pita or served with rice and tomato. And vegetarians thrill to a dozen other meatless entrees. Carnivores can choose from a selection of tempting kebabs, including chicken, beef and lamb; regulars are partial to the kafte, a blend of chopped beef and lamb spiced up nicely with garlic and served with rice pilaf.