Tatar Salim, a favorite in the city

EBRU ERKE

Döner has become the talk of the town lately. Some claim that it has "changed the face of a nation," while others see it as a sign of cultural integration. First gaining popularity in Germany during the 1970s, döner spread throughout Europe, gradually evolving from a popular fast food into a political symbol. It is one of the rare dishes that has established itself in a short period of time by altering its shape with each place it goes, sometimes with its sauce, sometimes with its bread, or with the marinade of its meat, which makes it even more unique for me. So, taking advantage of the popularity of döner, let me tell you about my favorite.

This is my introduction to the döner restaurant which has been my favorite in the city for nine years, ever since it first opened. My appreciation for it extends beyond merely enjoying the taste; it is about something more profound. It has never publicized its recipe or expanded aggressively. I had the opportunity to speak with Korhan Kösere, the founder of Tatar Salim, at his new venue in Caddebostan, which follows other outlets in Ataşehir and Kadıköy.

From the start, he adopted a different system compared to our familiar döner eateries. Generally speaking, döner chefs cut eyeteeth on this profession and establish their own modest restaurants, while wealthier ones who wish to open a döner restaurant or perhaps a chain of döner restaurants hire a chef for their new business. Tatar Salim has been engaged in R&D for almost two years, something I have never heard of. After all, there is a popular opinion that everything will work out in the end, with the idea being to begin and make adjustments along the way as needed.

Korhan's family is the owner of a large canned food company, focusing mainly on exports. About 11 years ago, he expressed a desire to venture into the döner eatery business independently from his brother and father, driven by his passion for it. I had met him about that time through a mutual relative. I also introduced him to a friend of mine who was highly regarded for his culinary consultancy in the industry. When Korhan revealed what he was dreaming, the consultant warned, "My son, give up this passion; if you do what you think, you will never make money and will even go bankrupt." Yet, Korhan persisted, implementing his ideas step by step, and contrary to the consultant's predictions, the result was his ideal restaurant and my favorite döner eatery.

Before he opened the döner restaurant, he tested 98 different döner kebabs, using 2.5 tons of meat. He conducted blind taste tests on döner kebabs from the city's most popular döner restaurants, identified any shortcomings, and attempted to achieve the flavor that would receive maximum points. Korhan is already a döner enthusiast. He visited nearly all of the greatest döner eateries in the country. From Artvin to Kastamonu, he sampled döner from various places. He pinpointed his target audience and assembled a tasting panel from this audience. He even included the managers of his family’s canned food factory in this group most of the time.

Finally, he came to the döner formulation, which earned ten points. He has never shared the specifics with me until now. Even during our chat, I asked, "Are you sure? I'll write it down this time."

"Yes, I am sure, Ebru; go ahead and write it down. Previously, we kept it a secret so that no one could copy it. But then I understood that no one could imitate it because they would not use the same ingredients as our döner kebab, and they would never use such pricey meat. So, at the very least, let me explain so that you can understand our differences," he replied.

Now that we have permission, here is the confidential recipe for Tatar Salim döner. It consists of 60 percent beef and 40 percent lamb, consisting of various cuts from the entire back of the calf such as entrecôte, sirloin, loin and pancetta. As for the lamb, he has a unique approach, buying and rearing lambs in Kırkdereli, Trakya and slaughtering them at four months of age. This method helps avoid the off-putting smell that many find unpleasant. Unlike most döner kebab makers who rely on lamb's tail fat and breast, Tatar Salim uses the whole lamb, including chops, tenderloin and küşleme (lean and nerve-free meat stretching along both sides of the lamb's backbone).

Korhan is unwilling to reveal the secret of the marinade recipe alone, which I believe, even if he did, only few would attempt to replicate anyway. Now, let's delve into the other particulars. All items are prepared within a 600 square meter space on the ground floor of their first branch in Ataşehir. When the bovine animal is brought to the processing facility, a unique device brought from Germany is utilized to extract various pieces of the flesh and test some of its properties, including pH. They procure fresh cow and buffalo milk to make their own yogurt and butter. Naturally, ayran is also their own production. This ayran has gained such popularity that they are planning to package and market it as a distinct brand in the near future. Rice pudding is likewise cooked with fresh milk, and it is thickened with rice milk rather than starch.

The flour used in the lavash bread is from Tatar Salim’s own blend of wheat germ. The lentils used in the lentil soup are grown in a village in Mardin by a farmer who does not use pesticides. He makes the soup with bone broth, which is simmered for twelve hours after pre-roasting. He drizzles his own butter over it, creating a soup worthy of an article. Oh, and lest I forget, the water used to simmer the bones is always the same, and they use a specific brand.

His vision of production in his previous company has worked very well here. He leaves no room for the chef's or anybody else's initiative. As a result, the restaurant’s standards across all aspects, from flavor to service, remain consistent. At a time when so many businesses attempt to fabricate and present a tale about something that doesn't exist, I admire Korhan’s naivety. He doesn’t try to get noticed by being loud. So, we should applaud him for creating a narrative and allowing us to experience it.