Turkish cuisine conquers hearts of Iranian foodies

It is well known that Turkey has managed to win the hearts of people around the world with its unique cuisine.

For instance, Iran has recently seen an increase in the number of enterprises opened under the name of "Turkish döner, Turkish pide, Turkish baklava and Turkish kebab" in various cities in the country, especially the capital Tehran. Iranians are quite satisfied with these restaurants.

The Turkish restaurant in Tehran, which introduces Turkish delicacies to Iranians, attracts both local and foreign guests.

Dishes prepared by Turkish chefs are served to Iranian customers in the restaurant located in Shahrak-e Gharb, one of the busiest areas of Tehran, while rice, bulgur, oregano, chili, black pepper, sumac and other spices used in these delicacies are shipped directly from Turkey.

The restaurant's manager Mücteba Mehcuri told Anadolu Agency (AA) they opened the restaurant two years ago to introduce Turkish dishes to Iranians. "Iranians are very interested in Turkish cuisine, and we are pleased with this interest. We have döner, iskender and other kebab varieties. We bring all the ingredients we use in the dishes from Turkey to catch the exact flavors," he said.

Döner chef Lütfü Yıldırım also noted that they offer good tastes in the kebab varieties. "The Iranians love döner. We have three chefs working here," he added.

Another döner chef, Ahmet Ağar, said that they introduced Turkish dishes in Iran. "We were wondering how Iranians would be interested in our food. We have seen that Iranians are really interested when we offer good tastes. Due to the high demand, we have embraced our business wholeheartedly. Both kebab and döner are very popular in Tehran," Ağar added.

Armin Parsa, one of the regulars at the Turkish restaurant, said that he works as an architect in Tehran and stops by the Turkish restaurant every time he comes to Shahrak-e Gharb. "Turkey has diverse and delicious dishes. I want to taste different dishes in different places. Here, iskender kebab and döner are my favorites. They are very tasty," Parsa said, pointing out that the two neighboring countries are close to each other in terms of food culture.

The recent increase in the number of Turkish restaurants in Iran and the popularity of these restaurants also does not escape the notice of Iranian food experts.

Bahadır Emini, an Iranian food expert, told AA that social convergence in recent years and frequent visits of Iranians to Turkey have naturally increased interest in Turkish dishes.

Suggesting that the main reason why Turkish dishes draw attention in Iran is not the geographical proximity, Emini said as Iranians, they are closely related to eastern Anatolian dishes. He added that tourists from other countries have a special interest in Ottoman or Istanbul cuisine as well. "Turkey has a very diverse and rich cuisine. New dishes are constantly being added. The attractiveness of Turkish dishes is increasing as there is no similar situation in Iran," he concluded.