Nicosia

Walls lined with wine, light timber tables and atmospheric photos of secret Turkish destinations create a warm and intimate atmosphere at this Malvern institution. A smiling welcome is always assured as is the aroma of homemade bread, charcoal chicken and lamb in this haven of authentic Turkish charm.

Regular clients have been coming for 24 years – from suburbs close-by and from destinations much further afield. Owner, Halil, says guests travel for up to an hour to experience the extensive menu which includes banquets, kebab platters, vegetarian specials, seafood, gourmet pizza, kids’ meals, and complex salads. The menu has to be a contender for the prize of ‘most comprehensive’ in the Malvern precinct with more than 150 individual offerings.

Halil is proud of his contribution to the Glenferrie Road precinct and he wouldn’t be anywhere else. “My satisfaction comes when I make my customers happy which often means I am selling a Doner Kebab to take away customers or a Cypriot Feast Banquet to dine-in clients. My family and I try to bring a little of our culture to every dish we serve, to add to Malvern life.”

Take away clients favour lamb or chicken from the spit, wrapped in pita and spiced in a unique Nicosia combination. While most customers will choose a sauce of yoghurt and garlic, BBQ, mayo, sweet chilli, tomato and herb, or perhaps chilli, one customer recently requested the lot!

Halil and his team always deliver more than expected with food often served in magnificent style on generous platters. Fresh ingredients are on display, behind spotless glass in the restaurant, adding to the atmosphere and a glimpse of the family-run kitchen. The chefs stay on trend by keeping an eye on Instagram, the web and Facebook where they also have a large following. Just visiting their Facebook page makes you hungry. Feedback from customers ensures the menu responds to demand and the restaurant’s donations to local charities are acknowledged – including one to the Golden Retriever Rescue Club.

Open for lunch and dinner, there is free home delivery to local customers spending $30 or more.

For Halil, the recipe is simple. “I always serve dishes that I would like to eat and I keep everything fresh and clean,” he says. Halil says every dish is prepared from scratch on the premises and he uses about 80 kilos of chicken and lamb each day for his famous kebabs.

And a hot tip: If you want to make someone’s day, drop in for a latte and baklava. You will be in for a fabulous, decadent surprise.