Out-Of-The-Way Tork's Cafe Is A Middle East Oasis. By Rebecca Cook MUHAMMAD IBN HASAN ibn Muhammad ibn al-Karim al-Katib al-Baghdadi, a resident of 13th-century Baghdad, wrote at length about the nature of human pleasure. Al-Baghdadi divided human bliss into six categories: food, drink, clothes, sex, scent and sound. Food was considered to be the most noble and consequential of these joys, certainly no surprise to any lover of fine comestibles. For more than a decade, Tork's Cafe has served some of the finest Middle Eastern food in Tucson. Yet, nestled inconspicuously as it is in the center of town--between an elementary school and several homes--it has for too long gone unnoticed. At the risk of disclosing a well-kept local secret, let me say that for good food, congenial hospitality and dollar value you'd be hard-pressed to find a better place than Tork's Cafe. Khalifa and Monica Turki want diners to feel at home in their small space and, indeed, walking into Tork's is a little like going to visit old friends. Apparently, the Middle Eastern rule of hospitality derived from living on a desert, where the scarcity of food and water made life an iffy proposition. If you were fortunate enough to have sustenance on hand, you were expected to share freely. It was a social amenity that meant survival in a harsh climate. The stakes may not be as high here in the Sonoran Desert, but the Turkis certainly go out of their way to please. A friend of mine tells a story of going to Tork's one evening for dinner only to discover that his only way to pay--plastic--was not accepted. Rather than have my friend leave hungry, Khalifa motioned for him to have a seat. "Tonight you'll eat anyway," Khalifa is reported to have said. Although I wouldn't recommend the gee-I-forgot-my-checkbook-at-home approach to financing your meals, this tale should give you some idea of the exceptional graciousness of your hosts at Tork's. And, in keeping with tradition, the food at Tork's is a preeminent pleasure. Salads and side orders of different dips are an ideal way to begin a meal here. The Greek salad is a crisp, fresh blend of iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, kalamata olives, tomato and crumbled feta cheese lightly dressed in a intricately-herbed vinaigrette. The hummus was a subtle blend of pureed chick peas, tahini, garlic and lemon. Though not as overpoweringly garlicky as the version we whip up at my house, this hummus was nevertheless delicious. Also tasty is the eggplant dip, sometimes called baba ghanoush. Necessary for scooping the above items is the ever-present pita bread, a flat, unleavened, soft Middle Eastern tortilla perfectly suited for transporting food from plate to mouth. Dishes can be ordered with or without meat and, after sampling both, I can say either version is tasty and satisfying. The falafel are small, fried campaign-button-sized rounds of mashed fava beans, parsley, garlic, bulgur and spices, which can be served tucked inside pita bread or separately on a platter that also includes salad, hummus or eggplant dip and rice. Tork's specializes in sambusa, fried triangular egg roll treats that come stuffed with either a ground meat mixture or a collage of rice and vegetables. Perfectly suited for dipping into either the hummus or spiced eggplant puree, these make for a delectable finger food. I could go on at length about Tork's stuffed grape leaves, which are tender and filled with either a rice-veggie or ground meat mixture. Served without the detraction of a cloying sauce, these delicacies literally melt in your mouth. The tender stuffed cabbage leaves are no less impressive, this time stuffed only with a meat and onion mixture that's moist and subtly spiced. The stuffed zucchini is also good, although not as remarkable as Tork's other stuffed items. Shawerma, sautéed slices of beef, chicken or lamb, onion, red and green bell pepper and spices, is served either inside pita bread or as part of a platter. I had the chicken version, which, although tender, was somewhat lacking in flavor. The savory yellow rice that accompanies many of Tork's dishes and acts as a key stuffing ingredient suggests a complex flavor melange of curry, saffron and cumin, which is an ideal complement to the food here. For dessert, a cup of the sweet and strong Turkish coffee and a wedge of baklava close out a meal perfectly. Composed of coarsely-ground syrup-coated nuts folded between golden layers of crisp phyllo dough, this baklava is a confectionery masterpiece. Less successful was the kunafa, a cross between a custard and cake topped with what looked like shredded wheat. Other than being overwhelmingly sweet, there was nothing else to distinguish this dish. Stick with the baklava. Although not part of any main drag, making a detour to Tork's is well worth the effort. A warm and hearty welcome and a bounty of good food awaits.

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