Ajay, Author at Uncle Sam's Immigrant Cafe

Manakish Oven

Posted on July 6, 2022June 4, 2023 by Ajay

The visit to the Manakish restaurant triggered memories of my childhood. “Za-a-a-tar” my father would stretch out the word and wait for me to repeat it. “It’s good for you. It makes you smart”, he would say before offering me a flatbread covered in the “special zaatar sauce” (a mix of ground spices with olive oil) for breakfast while he was drinking sage tea.

It was the Manakish with Zaatar and Whipped Labneh displayed on the menu at the “Manakish Oven” restaurant that prompted this memory. One can say that Manakish is a type of Mediterranean or Arabic pizza. The variety of toppings for the Manakish flatbreads is rich and fun: chicken shawarma, tri-tip, lamb, za’atar, cheese, hummus, vegetables, herbs and pickles. It can be eaten for all three meals of the day. Manakish comes from the Arabic word “to sculpt”; after the dough is rolled, it is “sculpted” or hand-pressed to create dips for the toppings and later baked in a Marsal brick oven for less than 4 minutes.

Adam Taleb and Feras (Fred) Gaban were the first people to introduce the Manakish culture to the small town of Walnut Creek by opening the Manakish Oven and Grill in 2019. While the restaurant is located on a busy intersection of two major streets, it has an inviting and cheerful look. A variety of shades of Moroccan blue on the walls, vibrant yellow chairs, large windows and playful fanous (arabic decorative lamps) create the feeling of a fairy tale. The menu has 12 different Manakishes, 4 types of pastries (boreks and fatayers), lentil soup and some typical medditerranean starters. Manakish Oven also offers 6 types of sweets and traditional Middle Eastern drinks like sage tea.

When we came to Manakish, it was lunch-time, but I was very hungry and therefore ordered Tri-Tip Shawarma Makanish with hummus, shredded tri tip, pickles and tahini sauce. We also ordered spinach and feta fatayer (small pie) and lentil soup. As we waited for the order, I started my conversation with Fred.

Finding yourself in a new country is no easy task, especially if you’re planning on building your future there. Fred moved to the United States from the United Arab Emirates when he was 16 years old, in hopes of studying and settling abroad. Although he came to America by himself, he was able to find a living with his relatives that migrated years before. Finishing high school early, he enrolled at Diablo Valley College at 17, and later transferred to San Francisco State to finish his business management major. From there on out, he was on his own, trying to figure out what he wanted to pursue as he entered the real world. He tried out several jobs with a few corporations, attempting to find a path that would satisfy him. The cubicles that he sat in day by day did not appease him, so he turned to working as an entrepreneur with his friend that he made at the community college.

Adam was also a Palestinian that immigrated to America in search of fulfilling his dreams. Together with Fred, they began by starting businesses that involved importing and exporting. Shortly after, the two decided that they wanted to spread their love for cooking and creativity, landing them in the restaurant business.

Most of Fred’s family is involved in the restaurant world. Some of his family have started a small mediterranean restaurant in Louisiana. Inspired by his family’s love at work, Fred decided to spread his love for Mediterranean food in Walnut Creek. He realized that the Mediterranean options currently available in the Bay Area did not reflect the cuisine, the aromas, textures and flavors he experienced in his home country. With that, he decided to open the Manakish Oven where the real food created from his mothers and grandmothers recipes would be served.

“The beauty of the meal is in the gathering,” explained Fred. Arabic food, especially at his restaurant, is very hard to make because of the big batches that are required. “You can’t cook this food just for one order,” remarked Fred, “We always have to prepare in large amounts, and we make the food in a way to make it fresh.”

Fred puts his heart into every item on the menu but the one that has a special place in this heart is “zaatar”. Just like me, it reminds him of his Palestinian background. “It took me a very long time to find good za’atar. There’s just no place else like the Middle East that has the best za’atar,” he says with a very warm smile.

Visit:
Manakish
2905N Main Street,
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
(925) 949 8334

@manakishoven

The Mantu

Posted on February 23, 2020June 4, 2023 by Ajay

No matter where you travel in this life, you can rest easy knowing that there will be dumplings. Each culture has some from of dough, stuffed with a sweet or savory filling, assured to satisfy even the pickiest eaters. When I first asked people what they knew about Afghan food, I got back answers like falafel, humus, and babaganoush. In reality, Afghan food is composed of many layers of fresh ingredients like herbs, vegetables, and varying proteins equipt to feed both carnivores and omnivores alike. Cue the dumplings - Mantu are the rose-shaped pastries native to Afghanistan, and are also the namesake of the new Richmond restaurant opened by refugee Chef Hamidullah Noori.

The Journey

Chef Noori came to America in 2015, settling first in Newport News, Virginia. There, he connected with NGOs who assigned him to labor intensive occupations like construction work. However, Noori had a secret - he was a talented chef with dreams of greatness, and he wasn’t planning on settling for anything less than he was worth. “I always had hope,” he said, “my mother told me, God is with you, even if you don’t have the chances that other people have, that’s fine because you’re not an ordinary person”.

With those words echoing in his mind, Hamid bought a bike and pedaled from restaurant to restaurant until he stopped at a little place off Warwick Boulevard - Saffron, a traditional Middle Eastern and Mediterranean eatery. He worked at Saffron for about 7 months before he moved to Richmond, Virginia, in search of better opportunities to support his family back home.

When he arrived in Richmond, Noorani Kabab House became his new home, where he made Pakistani, Indian and Chinese cuisine for two years. Noorani had a set menu, and Hamid was yearning to stretch his creative chops - to create and share his history and talents through the medium of taste. Noori is all about progress. “I didn’t want to have the same label my whole life,” he mused, “there were chefs who had been there for 6 or 7 years, and I didn’t want to be like that… I’m not made for that”.

Hamid decided to take a step back from restaurant life, to find an outlet outside of a kitchen, and took a night shift packaging boxes at a local Vitamin Shop. His days were reserved for working with the International Refugee Committee, an organization and resource for refugees, asylum seekers, victims of trafficking and other vulnerable immigrants in the United States. Noori found the IRC when he arrived in Richmond, and employees Kieth Mulvin and Lillie Hinkle helped connect him with the head chef from Ellwood Thompsons, a locally sourced organic grocery store and cafe, where he was immediately hired after a short interview. Two days after starting at Ellwood’s, he received a call that his family was in danger.

After Hamid left Afghanistan in 2015, his mother and siblings began receiving threats from members of the Taliban regime, a common reaction to family members immigrating to America. It is often assumed that the person is changing sides or becoming a spy for a foreign government. Noori tried everything he could think of to help his family - he helped relocate them to India, but the climate was too harsh, so they moved on to Turkey. Upon arrival at the Turkish border, his mother and brothers were were displaced and separated, as far as ten hours from each other. None of them spoke the language, making the logistics of starting a new life next to impossible. Hamid appealed to Ellwood’s head chef and the IRC, explaining that he had to leave for two weeks to help his kin - not exactly the ideal start to a new job. Members of the IRC begged him to stay, unsure that his job would still be available when he returned, but Hamid had faith - if he had gotten this far, he knew he could do it again.

He was in Turkey for 18 days before returning to the United States. As expected, when he contacted the chef at Ellwood, the cooking position had been filled, but there was a need for a dishwasher. Noori happily accepted the position, and after some time, started helping out with preparing the salad bar entrees, when it quickly became apparent that he had the skills and classic training to operate independently. Hamid climbed through the ranks of the kitchen over the course of several months, and began producing his own dishes, such as the Mantu dumplings, to be featured on the hot bar. From there, the owner of Ellwood Thompsons, Rick Hood, started introducing Hamid to people who would change the course of his life. His most generous gift, however, was the space the restaurant now occupies. So began the inception of The Mantu.

The Space and Menu Features

The Mantu’s interior features cozy tables in an elegant, simply adorned dining room. Their patio is an intimate space, perfect for long autumn evenings with friends under warm bistro lights that illuminate the crisp, clean white tablecloths and seasonal herb garden that line the space.

As expected, the star of the show was the Mantu dumplings. My favorite was the vegetarian option - the tender pastry had a luxurious mouthfeel, and the shredded butternut squash inside cannot be described as anything other than al dente, perfectly balanced with the other herbaceous elements of the dish. The petals of the pastry and fresh interior were exquisitely complemented by the savory red kidney beans and accompanying sauces. While the beef dumpling was also a favorite, I felt the vegetarian mantu really highlighted the fundamental components Noori described as classic Afghan cuisine; “...the herbs, spices and fresh vegetables that we use are the same as what other people use, but the way of cooking is a little different. When people are thinking of Afghanee food, it’s citrusy, not too spicy, and the texture and flavor of everything, you can feel it… you should feel all the ingredients that are in the dish”.

The potato skins are a popular dish with a loaded story behind it. Chef Noori took a deep breath before starting. “There was a time a time when we did not have food,” he said, heavily. He explained it like this:

One day, Noori was working in the kitchen slicing onions, and he was crying. His manager approached him and asked if it was because of the alliums or something else.
“Both,” he replied, “it makes me cry because there was a time when we did not have anything… when I slice them, sometimes I feel like I’m back in that situation...sometimes all we would eat is bread and onions. These are the things that I know, a way to survive, a way to start living again - potato skins and onions.” The beginning of everything, for Hamid.

In addition to potato peels and onions, the dish includes greens, such as cauliflower leaves, all crisped together in a satisfying snack, designed to precede any entree. The modern adaptation of Hamid’s childhood meal features garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno, and light splices.

Trials and Tribulations

Like many immigrant business owners, Hamid had many challenges to overcome to get to the point he’s at now. Besides the uncertainty of familial obligations, one of the struggles he’s faced has been conquering the trauma of his past. As Noori was growing up, the Taliban was fighting to take control of Afghanistan, and it completely changed the home he once knew. When he was 8 years old, he was working in a gas station when there was an explosion, and he became trapped inside as a fire raged around him. He was rescued, suffering just a burn on the back of his hand. “Nobody believes this, but now when I go to the gas station, it all comes back to me,” he said, “it’s always alive, that moment the gas station started burning”.

Another roadblock Noori faced was funding. Opening a restaurant is incredibly expensive, often costing more than $300,000. However, he fought uncertainty with incredible vulnerability. “Everybody supported me,” Hamid said, “whatever you see here wasn’t bought with my own money… if you share your dreams with others you’ll see that there are thousand of the right people around you who are just waiting to see how they can help you”.

Noori’s advice to those wanting to follow a similar path? “Wherever you go, you can change the world. If you bring hope, people will follow you”.

Visit:
The Mantu
10 S Thompson St
Richmond, VA 23221
Tel: (804) 716-6760
Hours:
Mon: Closed
Tue - Sun: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

African Chop

Posted on January 12, 2020June 4, 2023 by Ajay

Eclectic Instapot of Flavors

Food is so ingrained into the culture of Cameroon that even the West African country’s name, camarão, means shrimp in Portuguese. Throw in some 250 ethnic groups and the influences of colonization by Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Add the Portuguese explorers who named the country after a crustacean and you get an eclectic Instapot of flavors.Flavors served up in African Chop, as far as I can tell the only sub-Saharan African food truck in Los Angeles, California.

"African food was not represented…”

African Chop is part of what has become a fleet of an estimated 400 food trucks in LA. The culturally diverse meals on wheels include the trailblazing Kogi truck which started selling Korean BBQ tacos back in 2008.

It’s only been just over a year since African Chop started cooking, but Hector Tantoh, one of the owners of the food truck, says they are still culinary pathfinders. "African food was not represented in the food truck space in Los Angeles. We are happy to be one of the pioneers,” says Tantoh.

African Chop’s menu features chicken legs, mackerel, beef and even a vegan dish, The to-go meals are all served with a side of what’s known as jollof rice (more about that later) and puff puff, a savory version of a beignet. It’s a taste of home for Tantoh.

From Young Street Vendor to Food Truck Owner

He grew up in Doula, the biggest seaport in Cameroon. The city is also the country’s financial center. Tantoh compares his birthplace to New York City. "I grew up around street food and street vendors—people selling puff puff and other food on the street,” he says.

His family even got into the act.

"My mom had us selling food on the street too. The values--the hard work I learned in Cameroon have added to the food truck.” He brought those values to the United States where he earned an MBA before landing in Los Angeles. It’s here where he joined forces with fellow Cameroonian Opportune Akendeu, his African Chop partner. It was easy for the two come up with the name for the truck. Back in their homeland “chop" stands for food.

"Easy" Transition to Food Truck

"I never saw a food truck before coming to the US, but it's easy for me to see how it would catch on. I buy food from street vendors all the time. For me it was an easy transition to sell food on the street,” says Tantoh. He and Akendeu take turns when it comes to running the truck. During my visits Tantoh was in the driver’s seat at spots two regular spots. One is near city hall and the other is in front of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, better known as LACMA.

The customers he welcomes are as varied as the city’s food trucks.That includes Whitney Butler, a transplant from Arkansas. She walked passed food trucks in front of LACMA offering fragrant falafel, bulgogi beef and tempting tacos in order to stand in line at African Chop. She’s a regular who always orders the chicken plate. "Once I moved here I tried all kinds of food and I fell in love with African Chop’s chicken,” Butler says.

Actor Kwesi Boakye needed no introduction to African Chop’s fare. Though he’s American-born, his immigrant family is from Ghana. He is very accustomed to the items on the food truck’s menu. A particular favorite of Boakye is jollof. The tomato, onion and pepper-flavored rice is a side dish at African Chop. But throughout western and central Africa jollof is smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest cuisine conflicts in all of Africa.

The Best I Have Ever Had

With that knowledge I prod Boayke, with his Ghanian ancestry and all, to reveal his favorite version of the dish."Is African Chop’s jollof the best jollof you have ever had?” I ask not so innocently.Tantoh listens and laughs, knowing where I am going with my line of questioning. "For sure! I’m from Ghana. This is one of the best I have ever had,” he responds. Tantoh continues laughing before I go all in. “So jollof from Cameroon is better than Ghana’s?” I ask. Them’s fighting words. Tantoh continues to laugh as Boakye stammers his response. He recants his previous tasty testimony.

“I can’t say that. No. No. No,” he says. "This is the closest thing to the jollof in Ghana. It’s up there, it’s up there.”

“My jollof brings all the boys to the yard…"

Boayke’s largess may be due to the fact that jollof beef is especially piquant between Ghana and Nigeria. To calculate the popularity of jollof all you have to do is search the internets. You’ll find jollof festivals. There’s a podcast called “Jesus and Jollof.” There are multitudes of jollof love songs. My favorite lyric from the jollof jam “Ghana Jollof" is “My jollof brings all the boys to the yard…”

Many of African Chop’s customers, like regular Whitney Butler from Arkansas, don’t have a clue about the origins of the rice that’s served along with every African Chop plate. She did not know anything about jollof until I asked her about it. And I’ll admit that I didn’t have a clue about jollof until doing this story. My family heritage traces to the south eastern nation of Malawi where we like our rice plain and uncontroversial.

Schooling Diners

Tantoh says schooling his diners is part of his charge. "In LA where people are very open to trying new cuisines there is still a challenge. They’ll say ‘What is West African food? Oh, it’s rice.' People don’t understand the variety and how big Africa is. There is so much variety within the continent,” he says.

An Education Process

"And because people haven’t been eating this for long they don’t know about it. But you can ask an American and they will tell you about Thai food and different kinds of nuances of Thai and they have never been to Asia. But they can tell you because they’ve experienced it around them. I think part of what we’re doing is an education process." says Tantoh.

In addition to educating patrons about African food the food truck also serves up a healthy helping of African culture. African Chop is like a walking, make that rolling, billboard festooned with posters and leaflets advertising events around Los Angeles featuring the African diaspora. It’s all part of the general mission.

An Insertion Point

“This is an insertion point. So this is how you break into the cuisine is through jollof. If you’re curious you want to try more.” The business-minded Tantoh believes an introduction to jollof and other foods from his native Cameroon will stimulate consumer interest in say a sit down African sit-down restaurant. And even perhaps to the African Chop food products Tantoh and his partner hope to distribute to supermarkets one day.

African Chop’s owners are happy to share their roadmap with other food trucks from the continent. They do not see them as competition.

“…we want more people in the market."

The current market is sparse. As far as I can figure there are fewer than a dozen sub-Saharan African food trucks in the United States.

“Opportune and I help people. If somebody wants to start an African food truck we are going to help them because we want more people in the market,” says Tantoh. Because that’s just how he rolls in his drive to make jollof and puff puff as popular in the US as hot dogs and hamburgers. But I have a feeling he settle on making those dishes or at least as well-known as pad thai.

African Chop Food Truck

Los Angeles, California
408 429 5458

About the author

Lena Nozizwe is and visual and verbal storyteller. The Emmy-award winning journalist’s book, “Starring in Your Own Life,” was published by Simon and Schuster. Her work and passion has landed her in fabulous eating spots, from Paris to Portland, and from Dakkar to Detroit. Nozizwe loves them all. Keep up with her via her Instagram account.

Saffron

Posted on November 4, 2019June 4, 2023 by Ajay

In the small town of Twin Falls, Idaho, a refreshing respite from the usual chain restaurants has opened on the ever-regenerating old main street in the historic downtown. Yellow, red, and orange paint with gold accents adorn the walls, suggestive of the warm smells of spice lingering in the air. Wafts of cardamom, cinnamon, and anise engulf you as you enter Saffron, the first standalone Indian restaurant in Twin Falls.
Sanu, from Kolkata, India and Rosemary, his wife from Peru form the dynamic duo running the restaurant. Both Sanu and Rosemary immigrated to the U.S. on work visas within the last 5 years. They met in Sun Valley, Idaho while working at different restaurants in the area and bonded over their mutual love and passion for food.

Sanu and Rosemary

Sanu grew up learning about cooking under the tutelage of his Mother, who he says was a very good cook, but didn’t start thinking about cooking as a career until he was 22. After completing a 3-year degree in Hotel and Hospital Management, he cooked at various 5-star hotels in India. Dreaming of bigger and better things, he heard of an opportunity from a consultancy group for a job cooking in Sun Valley, Idaho and jumped at the opportunity.

Vegetable Curry, Karahi Chicken, Chicken Korma

Rosemary moved to the U.S. four years ago on a work visa to join her family who owns a group of local burrito shops in Southern Idaho called KB’s. In her spare time, she pursued her degree in Business Management from the local community college.
After dating over the course of a few years, they moved to San Francisco and worked in an upscale Indian restaurant, honing their culinary and restaurant chops. During their time in San Francisco, Rosemary’s mother called and asked her if she and Sanu could come help manage and cook at the Pocatello KB’s restaurant to help the family. Rosemary was hesitant as they were really enjoying their time in San Francisco, but she knew she had to help her family, so she agreed.

Chicken 65 Appetizer

After a few months of managing and cooking at the restaurant, although they enjoyed the business, they realized that they longed for something more. Sanu was dying inside to get back to his Indian roots and express his true culinary self. They dreamed of owning their own restaurant, making their own dishes with their own spices in their own way. One night, Rosemary and Sanu were spending time with Sanju, Sanu’s brother who had owned an Indian restaurant in Pocatello. After sharing some laughs, they had a sudden thought- why don’t we open a restaurant? That night they started looking for available spaces in Twin Falls where they might open a restaurant. As fate would have it, they found that the KB’s burritos in downtown Twin Falls had just closed and was available to lease. Although it was 9 at night, they called the realtor and set up a meeting to see the property the next day. The next day, they showed up at the restaurant and 30 minutes later signed the lease and Saffron was born.

Lunch special with assorted dishes

With the help of Sanju and other family members, they started rapidly painting, decorating, and just 3 months later, Saffron was open for business. With Rosemary running the business side and greeting customers with a smile and Sanu cooking his creative and comforting food, Saffron has taken off. Dishes like chicken 65, an appetizer named for its 65 different spices that go into the flavorful curry, are part of a delicious and adventurous menu. Community members were packed in on the first night I visited, excited to welcome something new and authentic into their town. As I take the first bite of the chicken karahi, flavors of ginger, garam masala, tomato, chiles, and cinnamon warm my palate. The Naan is chewy, buttery and crispy. The rice is fragrant and fluffy. Sanu comes out to eagerly ask how everything is, satisfied as we rave about all the dishes we are eating.

In the back of the kitchen are Renuka, Kal, Krishna, and Ran, immigrants from Nepal and Bhutan, laughing and enjoying each other’s company as they chop onions, garlic, peppers, and ginger. They say they are all one big, happy family. Sanu says that he is most excited when other Indians come in and give positive compliments to the dishes. He says that Indians can be quite critical of Indian food, so when they give their seal of approval, it means a lot. Sanu says that he prides himself on not cutting corners, spending hours simmering the curries, toasting and grinding his own spices, and roasting the vegetables to build the bold, complex flavors that go into each of his dishes. He says that he is constantly experimenting with new dishes, testing them out as specials, and if the customer reaction is good, he will put It on the full-time menu.

Rosemary says that it took her a while to learn all the nuances of Indian food- all the spices, the dishes, and flavors that were very different from her Peruvian roots. She is also learning to speak Hindi, while Sanu is slowly picking up Spanish. Sanu jokes that Peruvian food doesn’t taste like anything, to which Rosemary shoots back asking why he asked her to make Peruvian Ceviche on their day off? Sanu laughs and admits that he has grown to love Peruvian food, but Indian food will always be first in his heart. This beautiful combination of cultures seems to be the secret ingredient to the delicious flavors and inviting ambience of Saffron, making it well on its way to becoming a staple in Twin Falls for years to come.

Visite:
Saffron
117 Main Ave E,
Twin Falls, ID 83301
saffronidaho@gmail.com
Tel: 208-933-2580

About Author: Porter Long

Porter Long is a food scientist by day, food fermentation experimenter by night, and a food enthusiast always. He lives in Twin Falls, Idaho with his wife, two dogs, and four chickens.

Sumela Restaurant

Posted on August 26, 2019June 4, 2023 by Ajay

Sumela Restaurant in High Point, North Carolina

A highly popular Turkish restaurant, Sumela Restaurant is very busy, especially at lunchtime. Tucked away in a strip mall the ambiance is cheerful and pleasing with plants and Turkish decor — copper pots displayed on shelves, beautiful Turkish ceramic plates and red carpet displayed on the walls. Turkish music plays in the background and the restaurant has plenty of natural daylight. Outdoor seating is a popular choice during warm weather but we sat indoors as it was a cold day. 

This Greek Orthodox monastery was founded in 386 AD and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The monastery was built on Mela Mountain within the Pontic Mountains range, in the Maçka district of Trabzon Province in modern Turkey. Soumela means "Black Mountain." The monastery sits on the narrow ledge of a steep cliff.
After immigrating to the USA from Trabzon, Turkey in 1989 Mehmet started a new life in Williamsburg, Virginia. Seven years later he moved to North Carolina. He opened a restaurant in High Point, NC in 1997 and named it Sumela Restaurant--after the Greek monastery. At the restaurant, there is a framed picture of the monastery hanging on the wall, in honor of the monastery.
Initially, Mehmet served grilled hamburgers. Over time people started asking for Turkish food. He realized there was a need and market, especially with the twice-yearly International Furniture Mart Event where designers and customers come from all over the world. Not only is his cuisine popular but locals, visitors, and employees adore him.

Mehmet describes Turkish cuisine as being diverse and includes a lot of vegetables in addition to lamb, beef and chicken. Friends and family members enjoy getting together often for meals. A large pot or platter of food is placed in the center so everyone can eat together. A popular Turkish food is Doner--or Gyro as it is known here. As Mehmet hails from the Black Sea area, seafood--especially fish--is a staple in that region.
The spices he uses commonly in Turkish cuisine include various kinds of dry chili peppers that may be roasted and added to grilled meat kebab marinades. Each chili pepper has a unique flavor. The spices are more flavorful when bought at the spice bazaars in Istanbul. Other spices include cumin, pepper, paprika, rosemary, and oregano. Unlike in middle eastern cuisine, he rarely uses saffron. Dessert may be baklava or rice pudding, both of which are very popular at the restaurant.
Growing up in Trabzon, Turkey as a child, Mehmet helped his father with the family-run business--a convenience store--in Turkey. His mother and sister taught him some basic cooking. Since then he has taught himself the finer aspects of Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine and even today Mehmet’s cooking continues to evolve as he aspires for perfection. Having eaten several times at the restaurant I can easily say he has a very refined style and his restaurant is always busy.

In the last 5 years, he overcame 2 major challenges: first, prolonged road construction that prevented easy access to his customers and his business suffered a serious setback; second, an accident where a car crashed into his restaurant destroying the prep area—the restaurant was shut down for 6 months.
Mehmet took me into his kitchen where he stirred a pot of rice pudding that was simmering on the stove. He also had a pot of boiling sugar syrup to pour over the baklava that was baking in the oven. His chef, Santos, has been working for him for the better part of 20 years.
Mehmet has 2 sons who help him run the restaurant. At home, on Sundays, Mehmet cooks fish for his wife and family. As his wife is allergic to spices, he avoids using them when he cooks her a meal.
 I came back on a later date for dinner there with a friend. Everything we ordered was served within a few minutes. With guidance from Mehmet’s son about the different items on the extensive menu we decided to have a 3-course meal and it was a sumptuous experience eating authentic Turkish food!

For starters, the menu offered many choices such as Baba Ganoush, Spanakopita, Hummus, Tabbouleh, stuffed grape leaves, and Turkish meat pie. We ordered falafel. Having eaten falafel at many places I can honestly say these were the best—crunchy on the outside with an explosion of flavors inside. Falafel is a deep-fried vegetable patty made with chickpeas ground together with parsley, onions, garlic, and aromatic herbs. The cold yogurt sauce served with the falafel provided a refreshing contrast. In addition to Turkish food, the menu featured several Italian items so we also ordered mozzarella sticks for appetizers and these were also the best I’ve ever had.

There was a large variety of entrees ranging from Kofte (char-grilled meatballs made from fresh ground beef mixed with chopped onions, parsley, garlic, and spices) beef, lamb and chicken kebabs, salads, wraps, subs and Italian food.

We chose the Tavuk Shish Kebab—chicken kebabs on a skewer and they were delicious! Chargrilled after being marinated in spices overnight they were perfectly seasoned, tender and moist. Served with a yogurt sauce, mildly flavored rice and “Pyaz” ( a fresh salad with cannellini beans, onions, tomatoes, and parsley) they made for a thoughtfully balanced combination.
Wanting to try the Mediterranean entrees we also ordered lemon chicken with a tangy sauce, capers and mushrooms served with steamed vegetables, fresh pita bread, and the best French fries I’ve had.

Dessert was a golden brown homemade pistachio baklava - Mehmet showed me how they were baked in the oven while he stirred a pot of sugar syrup on the stove. Biting into the baklava I could taste the crisp flaky layers with the sweet sugar syrup adding delicious juiciness to the lower layers. Crushed pistachios were sprinkled on the golden brown top and also in between the layers.

We were full but it was hard to resist the homemade creamy rice pudding flavored gently with rose water, cinnamon and vanilla. The bill with tip was about $50 for the 2 of us,   Mehmet has elevated every dish served at the restaurant... A great experience will definitely go again!

Visit:
Sumela Turkish Restaurant
805 N. Main Street #101, High Point, North Carolina 27262
Timings: Open daily from 10:30 am to 9 am
CLOSED Sundays
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My Interviews with restaurant owner.

About the Author:
Hi, I’m a high school senior. I enjoy traveling all over the world. I’m also interested in exploring international cultural diversity in my community. I interview local immigrants and refugees and share their stories on a Facebook page.
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