The Tallahassee restaurant will be opening in KitchenShare in Frenchtown.
I’m joyful to let you know that an genuine Turkish restaurant will be opening quickly in Tallahassee. Dondu Dogru will be launching Blue Turkey at KitchenShare within the Frenchtown Heritage Hub at 524 N. Martin Luther King Blvd.
The restaurant opened briefly for a gentle opening with household and associates and will formally be open to the general public from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, beginning Jan. 21. Search for dishes that chef Dondu calls “trendy Turkish cuisine.”
“I’m actually enthusiastic about it,” stated Dondu, who’s launching the restaurant with an administrative help from her husband, Tarik, who teaches within the Dedman Faculty of Hospitality at Florida State College. “We will be doing particular issues each time and we will serve actually contemporary, wholesome meals with a number of taste.”
The Dogrus met in faculty and moved from Turkey to the US just a few years in the past whereas Tarik pursued his doctorate. The dad and mom of two babies, Dondu is initially from Cappadocia in central Turkey and Tarik is from the traditional, Southern metropolis of Antioch.
Whereas I don’t know of any eating places specializing in Turkish cuisine, you’ll discover similarities with Greek and different Center Japanese fare although every nation has its personal distinctive flavors and options.
The menu will be minimal at first however embody appetizers or mezzes dubbed “All of the Well mannered” with grilled eggplant blended with yogurt or “Purple Fireplace,” a dish melding “a mixture of crushed greens: cucumber, tomato, onion and mixture of spices served with pita chips.”
Contemplate doner a Turkish model of the gyro or shawarma. The doner kebab has change into common past Turkey and is served in Berlin and European cities. Blue Turkey will supply a doner hen wrap in addition to a Berlin-style doner made with steak a mixture of French fries, lettuce, pink cabbage, onion, tomato and pickle dill served with a facet of chef’s signature sauces: “pink candy chili pepper and yummy beetsy,” and pita chips.
One of many vegan dishes right here is called cig or chee kofta, which Tarik likes to name the House Shuttle for its hearth and form. The title Blue Turkey can also be a bit of caprice from the couple.
For Dondu and Tarik, KitchenShare is the right technique to introduce a brand new restaurant. The positioning is an authorized communal kitchen set as much as assist launch entrepreneurs.
Tarik stated he and his spouse will be renting house there “to get to know the market and buld up a buyer base.”
They anticipated to launch in March 2020 however put their plans on maintain because of the pandemic. Since they’re coping with takeout and supply (by means of a 3rd occasion), they determined to provide it a strive.
For Dondu, opening a restaurant “is a dream come true.”
On their web site, she says that “Rising up, I used to be the de facto sous-chef at dwelling serving to the chief chef, my mom. Whereas I used to be studying the important thing elements of cooking throughout my casual coaching, I additionally discovered that the necessities of cooking transcend the substances and directions.
“A high quality meal is ready with respect, love, and look after meals, tradition, and other people. My household roots in Turkey and Turkish tradition have served as the inspiration of my curiosity for meals and cooking, and my curiosity in meals developed into a powerful ardour to create inspirational recipes rooted in custom and blended with respect, love, and look after meals, tradition, and other people.
“At Blue Turkey Restaurant, we serve trendy Turkish meals impressed by genuine recipes handed down by means of generations and blended with outstanding Turkish hospitality that will be craved for by everybody.”
In case you go …
Blue Turkey, inside KitchenShare within the Frenchtown Heritage Hub, 524 N. Martin Luther King Blvd.
Hours: Blue Turkey will open Thursdays and Fridays beginning Jan. 21, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
