Café Turka brings authentic Turkish flavours to Salt Rock
Döner kebab, a Turkish specialty, involves slow-roasting seasoned meat on a rotating spit for a tender, flavourful experience.
Tucked away in Salt Rock Shopping Centre is Café Turka, a Turkish eatery specialising in the döner kebab.
Chef Murat Öncel (60) grew up in the Turkish city of Sakarya, 150km east of Istanbul on the Black Sea.
After completing a tourism degree, he served two years in the Turkish army before embarking on a career in the hospitality industry, working as a chef in a five-star hotel.
In 1991, Öncel opened Café Platin in Marmaris, a popular coastal destination. Over the years, he also became an SSI master dive instructor and a ship and yacht captain.
“My mother always complained about my studying. ‘You are 45 years old and all you are doing is studying.’ But studying is good,” said Öncel.
His life took a new turn in 2014, when he met his South African wife, Christina, while she was on holiday in Marmaris. Two years later, he moved to Sheffield Beach and they married in 2016 (and now have two children). Three years later, Café Turka was born.
Café Turka serves lamb and chicken Döner kebabs, falafel, homemade baklava, Turkish coffee, and waffles, all in a cozy setting.
Döner kebab, a Turkish specialty, involves slow-roasting seasoned meat on a rotating spit for a tender, flavourful experience. The dish is distinct from its Greek (gyros) and Middle Eastern (shawarma) counterparts, differing in bread, toppings, and serving style.
Öncel thinly shaves the meat, dicing it with onion and tomatoes before placing it and fillings on the heated homemade wrap.
Before folding, customers choose between jalapenos, lettuce and homemade yogurt. Once packed with filling, the Döner kebab is slightly toasted and served. For the vegetarians, the falafel, with mushrooms and aubergines, is a delicious option.
“There are many South Africans living in Türkiye,” he adds. “They love my country and think I’m crazy to live here. But I tell them I’m here because I love my wife and children, and the diving and marine life.”
Café Turka is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10.30am to 6pm.
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