Grand Opening: New Turkish Feast in China Central Place Opens Tomorrow, Sep 16

Tomorrow (Sep 16), Turkish Feast are hosting a grand opening for their second branch, based in China Central Place (华贸中心Huámào Zhōngxīn). Ahead of the opening, we talked to Muhammet Ali, the guy behind Turkish Feast, to get the low down.

Ali is in the midst of an absolute love affair with Turkish cuisine. This man could happily munch on Turkish delicacies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day. Born and raised in Turkmenistan, Ali landed in China in 2006 and fell in love with it so much that by 2011 he decided to call it home. But there was something missing: the rich, flavorful Turkish food that he adored.

Ali was ready to fill this culinary gap in Beijing's food scene, and the idea of opening a Turkish restaurant was always simmering in the back of his mind. In 2015, Ali launched Georgia's Feast, and the triumphant success of this venture only fueled his ambition to establish a Turkish restaurant. While Ali was all set with the business plans, he needed a culinary mastermind who was as passionate about Turkish food as he was. As fate would have it, through a friend's introduction, he found his culinary soulmate: Recep Iskanderov. Trained in Turkey's kitchens for five years, Iskanderov, an Azerbaijani native, is a maestro of Turkish cuisine. According to Ali, this guy is a genius who can whip up any dish you can dream of.

But life had some trials in store for them. When they proudly opened the doors of the first Turkish Feast in 2019, they were met with the harsh reality of a slow business due to the pandemic. It was a tough pill to swallow, with Ali remembering how the business crawled at a snail's pace. But they hung in there, weathering the storm, and now, they're not just surviving, but thriving, and set to open a new Turkish Feast location in China Central Place.

And as Ali fondly recalls, the expat community of Beijing stood by them during those trying times. "Their support meant the world to us," he says, extending his heartfelt thanks to the Beijingers' readers who rallied behind the restaurant.

Indeed, as the captain at the helm, Ali is fully aware of the necessity of introducing novel dishes periodically to lure in more food aficionados. His faith in his chef's exceptional culinary judgment is evident when it comes to concocting new delightful dishes. "He is an absolute maven in the kitchen, squeezing the best out of every ingredient. His knack for balancing the perfect amount of pepper, spices, and other seasonings is unparalleled.", Ali praises his chef.

At the new Turkish Feast, in addition to their classic Mezze Plates and traditional Lentil Soup, customers can anticipate an experience of even more of Iskanderov's novel creations. One such invention is the Azerbaijani Shakh Plov, a sumptuous layered pilaf that boasts a symphony of lamb, fragrant rice, dried fruits, nuts, and aromatic spices. They're also rolling out the Feast Fillet, a dish featuring Australian tenderloin cooked in butter and herbs.

The new Turkish Feast is nestled in China Central Place, a bustling neighborhood just northeast of Dawanglu teeming with a variety of eateries. To celebrate their grand opening, they're throwing a party this Saturday from 6pm. The event promises to be a blast with DJ Arquitect, a crowd favorite, on deck and an abundance of free drinks and snacks. So, make sure to drop by tomorrow at the new Turkish Feast location and join them in their celebration.

Turkish Feast (China Central Place branch)
1/F, Building 15, North Area of China Central Place, 89 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国路89号华贸中心北区15号楼1层101
Hours: 11am-10pm
Phone: 15911059050

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Images: Courtesy of Turkish Feast