Chinese, Mexican and Korean cuisines have all gone glam in recent years. Next up: Peruvian and Turkish. At San Francisco's Limón, chef Martin Castillo proves that Peru offers more than seviche and rotisserie chicken, with dishes like tamales made with chile-infused masa and stuffed with pork, olives and egg (3316 17th St.; 415-252-0918). At Houston's elegant Empire Turkish Grill, the menu goes well beyond the grilled meats usually seen in stateside Turkish restaurants, with delicious alternatives like chicken layered with crispy fried bread and garlic-infused yogurt (12448 Memorial Dr.; 713-827-7475). At New York City's Beyoglu and its casual new offshoot, Efendi, specialties include jumbo shrimp baked with mushrooms, tomatoes and kashkaval cheese (Beyoglu, 1431 Third Ave.; 212-650-0850; Efendi, 1030 Second Ave.; 212-421-3004).

—Salma Abdelnour

Published September 2003