Having been intrigued numerous times by a brightly colored tapestry in the windows of a dimly lit restaurant, I finally decided to dine at Husnu’s located at 517 State St.

Husnu’s features Turkish, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine in a relaxed, comfortable setting. Outdoor seating is available in the warmer months, but I chose to dine inside. Distracted by the black and white photos on the walls, sculpted archways and an incredibly long bench spanning the length of multiple tables, my eyes quickly wandered away from the menu.

While business was somewhat slow when I dined, nearly every time I wandered past Husnu’s in the past, the restaurant was packed, and it’s easy to see why after my dining experience.

Being a waitress myself, I notice the lack of good food service in the downtown Madison area. The service at Husnu’s, however, is excellent. Each time a plate was dirty, the waitress immediately replaced it with a clean one. Her recommendations and explanations of menu items were helpful, and the delivery of our food was extremely timely.

Her best recommendation was a beverage, the Mango Lassi. This slightly thick, creamy mixture of fresh mango pulp, orange juice and yogurt is a great way to start any meal.

Wanting to save room for dessert, we skipped the appetizers and started with soup and salad. This part of the meal marks the only disappointment of Husnu’s dining experience. With a very similar texture to split pea soup, the lentil soup was a somewhat tasteless starter. The yogurt dressing, on the other hand, added a light, simple flavor to an otherwise typical house salad.

Following a slightly unsatisfactory soup and salad course, the main course was much more enjoyable. Both the Tavuk Sis Kebab, a Mediterranean dish, and the Chicken Florentine, an Italian-style entrée, were delicious choices.

Tavuk Sis Kebab consisted of two skewers of marinated chicken, red and green peppers, tomatoes and onions. They were accompanied by a side of rice pilav and yogurt sauce, which seemed to be nearly the same as the yogurt “dressing” used on my house salad. The kebabs were slightly charred, leaving the meat tender and the vegetables soft. Again, the use of yogurt sauce added a nice touch to the flavor of this dish.

A thick breast of chicken covered in a mushroom marsala wine sauce, topped with fresh spinach and melted cheeses made up the second entrée, the Chicken Florentine. Faint hints of the marsala wine sauce were overpowered by the flavors of parmesan and mozzarella cheese, but remained distinct enough to provide an appropriate topping for the tender, juicy chicken. Pilav also accompanied this dish, which probably would have tasted even better without this side.

Skipping appetizers to save room for dessert is an extremely smart idea. The blend of ice cream, chocolate and Kahlua combined in a graham cracker crust had a distinct coffee flavor. Kahlua was definitely the most prominent ingredient here, causing this torta to closely resemble a mixed after dinner drink/dessert. The Cappuccino Torta made a great ending to the meal.

With a location close to campus, Husnu’s is definitely worth stopping by during your next trip down State Street. It’s a restaurant that pleases the appetite with freshly made Turkish, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, while pleasing customers with great service and affordable prices.