What do you get when a food-loving Greek and an equally food-loving Turk get together for lunch? The best Sunday feast you’ll ever have.
Chefs Somer Sivrioglu (Anason) and David Tsirekas (1821) will combine their favourite Turkish and Greek flavours for a once-only lunch event on Sunday 28 August. This relaxed family-style feast will be held at Sivrioglu’s Anason restaurant located along the waterfront at The Streets of Barangaroo.
The shared feast begins with an array of cold and hot mezes such as Sivrioglu’s traditional sesame ring simits (similar to a pretzel, but better) and pumpkin hummus; and Tsirekas’ kasseri and mushroom filo pie. There’s also likely to be dishes from Tsirekas’ highly anticipated 1821 restaurant opening in spring. A highlight of any Greek family barbeque, there will also be Tsirekas’ signature whole lamb on a spit served with Sivrioglu’s Ich pilav and smoked eggplant bomb.
The Ottoman Empire banquet tradition continues with a classic dessert meze of buffalo milk yogurt, honeycomb, and pistachio and Sivrioglu’s Keskul; Ottoman palace pudding of pistachio, almond and pomegranate. Like any good Greek or Turkish get-together there will be plenty of Turkish wine, beer, ouzo and raki to enjoy.
Long-time friends Sivrioglu and Tsirekas have wanted to collaborate in a way that pays homage to the city of Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, for years. A city that both the Turkish and Greek cultures once called home and a place that the two share a great affection for.
Sivrioglu says: “We’ve wanted to collaborate like this for ages and we’re excited to host the kind of family picnic-style lunch we’ve enjoyed our whole lives. Turkish and Greek cooking traditions date back to the Ottoman Empire and while the recipes are different in many ways the two cuisines complement each other well. You just have to come hungry.”
Modelled on the casual meyhanes of Turkey, the open-air design and coastal Mediterranean feel of Anason is an ideal setting for this casual lunch. Bring your family and friends and lunch like the Greeks and Turkish do on Sunday 28 August.
The Sivrioglu and Tsirekas guide to Sunday lunching
- Have plenty of food: there’s never too much
- Share your meal with family and friends
- Springtime means outdoor BBQs, BBQs mean charcoal, charcoal means lamb
- Make sure there’s plenty of raki or ouzo
- Savour every mouthful and have fun.