Halal Turkish restaurants open in China

Demet Cengiz GUANGZHOU / Hürriyet

Turkish restaurant “Bosphorus,” which has two branches in the Guangzhou province of China, is now set to open new branches in China’s Yiwu province and Thailand’s capital Bangkok, also based on a halal food concept and offering non-alcoholic drinks.

Bosphorus, which had been a “döner kebab” restaurant in Guangzhou for a long time, is aspiring to become a restaurant chain with its own concept. The Turkish partners of the restaurant, Mahmut Aykut and Mehmet Söyler, have decided to expand Bosphorus, which offers non-alcoholic drinks and halal-meat, to the Arab, Turkish, Chinese and European customers.

Söyler said 100,000 Arabs and 400 Turks lived in Guangzhou. “They like Turkish cuisine. Our concept is alcohol-free. They show a lot of interest. We have also nargile [water pipe]. We are opening new restaurants in the Yiwu province of China and in Thailand’s capital Bangkok,” he said.

Söyler also stated that the Muslim population in the city preferred their restaurant’s “iftar” and “sahur” programs particularly due to the halal meat. However, Chinese and European customers also visited the restaurant, he added. Bosphorus is engaged in the promotion of Turkish cuisine, he said.

Bosphorus has 20 Turkish and 70 Chinese members of staff.