WHEN Birtan Erkut was seeking inspiration for his new restaurant concept, he did not have to venture far to find it.
After more than five years as the owner of Arirang Korean BBQ Restaurant in Subiaco, he decided to pay homage to his Turkish heritage.
Alaturka Cuisine subsequently opened recently from the same Hay Street premises where Birtan had previously helped pioneer Korean food in a constantly evolving Perth dining scene.
“So many of my customers had been asking me why I do Korean food and not Turkish,” he said.
“It eventually became time to let the Koreans do what they’re good at and for me to return to my roots.”
Prior to launching Arirang, Birtan had carved out a successful career in hotel and restaurant management, both here in Australia and in his native Turkey.
His earliest food memory, however, takes him back to Sydney’s western suburbs in the 1970s, when, each day after school, a pint-sized Birtan and his brother would carry a 60 litre pot of homemade Çorba (soup) on the train from Cabramatta to Flemington station, where their late father ran a Turkish diner.
“Mum would spend all day preparing the food and my brother and I would carry it – each holding one handle – on that clickety-clack train,” he said.
“I was seven-and-a-half years old at the time and that was my first real experience with food.”
Now, at Alaturka, Birtan is revisiting a childhood and culture enriched by fragrant, wholesome foods derived from centuries-old recipes.
Some of these – including the Alaturka ev mantisi (homemade lamb mince and onion-filled pasta topped with garlic yoghurt, buttered tomato paste and sumak spice) – were based on ancient family recipes and therefore, are exclusive to the restaurant.
Notably, the Lokum (or Turkish delight) is made locally by a Turkish man, who originates from near the Syrian border – a region, according to Birtan, famed for its expertise in the seductive jellied sweet, which is traditionally served with delicately sweet yet robust Turkish coffee.
Another temptation is the Pekmezli dondurma – vanilla ice-cream topped with pekmez (sticky grape molasses).
Birtan prides himself on one particular accomplishment: all the food served up is Halal, much to the pleasant surprise of Muslim patrons walking through the door, including a recent woman who was fourth-generation Pakistani-Australian.
Dividing his time between the kitchen and front-of-house, Birtan has been overwhelmed by the response to the restaurant, validating his decision to follow his heart and fly the flag for Turkish cuisine and culture in Perth.
“Initially, I just saw this as filling a void and had no idea it would become something so deeply cultural,” he said.
“The Turkish consul for Melbourne was recently in Perth and said that Turkish culture had a battle in Australia, but that waving the flag and teaching other Australians started with food.
“And I must say, it has been extremely heartening to see diverse Australians embrace the restaurant change.”