Another new outlet hits JLT, this time it’s a little bit of Turkey! …  Tantuni

When two friends who both hail from Turkey have a hankering for some Tantuni they no longer have to take a trek all the way back to Turkey.  Yes you read right, they teamed up and opened their own Tantuni hot spot right in the centre of Jumeirah Lake Towers.  I wanted to know what all the fuss was about so we headed over there at the weekend.

I have to admit that my knowledge of Turkish food is somewhat poor, so my trip to Tantuni was both informative and tasty.  Tantuni is a Turkish street food, more commonly found in the Mersin area of Turkey, when over 60 years ago it was classed as a poor man’s dish and was often made with lung meat and fat.  Today thankfully it is made most commonly with beef but Tantuni is offering a chicken option to for those of us who aren’t red meat eaters.

In special pan which has a well in the middle the pre-boiled chopped beef is fried with water and oil,  before adding a variety of spices, onion and Turkish chilli pepper, sumac and cumin. The lavash is then gently heated over the meat and expertly folded into a roll, which when served you add a splash of lemon juice and some pickled peppers, then fold in half and eat delicious.

Beef Tantuni

Tantuni offers three different salads, the mixed green leaves; fresh green leaves with lemon and Turkish Spice dressing.  The Bostan salad; a rare Turkish salad delicacy with fresh tomatoes, green leaves and served with Salgam Juice (turnip juice).  The Ezme salad which is a spicy tomato paste and onion salad served with pomegranate sauce.  The salads are small but at a price tag of 5 dhs a portion you won’t be complaining. After we had finished our Tantuni we had some absolutely fabulous Baklava, the best I have had in a long long time, the syrup was oozing from the finely layered pastry.

Turkish Spices

You will find the menu at Tantuni somewhat compact. That is because Tantuni outlets only sell Tantuni, a Tantuni Chef is just that, I am guessing it is a craft that is passed through the generations.  All the staff in Tantuni have been hand-picked and brought over from Turkey to ensure that the Tantuni is truly authentic.  I loved it!!   so all it needs now is for me to wish Cem and Can all the best with their new venture. I have every confidence it will be a huge success.

Baklava

You can find Tantuni at Lake Terrace Tower, Cluster D, Jumeirah Lake Towers.  More information can be found on their website  (under construction) and also on their Facebook page and Twitter. They also deliver in the local area, call 04 454 2329.  You can also find some more photographs on my Facebook page.