Even if you haven’t gotten your Real ID yet—which you should really do, like, yesterday—you can travel by proxy through food. To take a vacation to Turkey, head over to Normal Heights, where chef Seckin Sage Anlasbay is opening Bosforo, his modern meyhane-style Turkish restaurant in the former El Zarape location.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos Seckin Sage
Seckin first launched Bosforo a few years ago as a wood-fired pizza catering concept, showcasing flavors from his childhood home in southern Turkey near the Mediterranean, alongside influences from places like Spain and Italy. But for his first brick-and-mortar, he’s focusing far heavier on Turkish culture with dashes of Mediterranean, Mesopotamian, and Anatiolian.
“You’re going to feel like you’re having dinner in [an Istanbul] meyhane, [a traditional Turkish restaurant],” he promises, down to the kebabs and Turkish ice cream and décor.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
He kept El Zarape’s open dining room to ensure everyone can see everyone else and peer into the kitchen with the fire of the pizza oven. “The layout fosters openness and connection, echoing the communal spirit of traditional meyhanes while reimagining it for a contemporary audience,” he explains. The space seats 90 guests over 2,500 square feet, with lots of warm lighting and a homey feel across four different areas: the dining room, bar, kitchen, and pizza bar.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
Bosforo’s menu centers around a family-style feast of hot and cold mezes (Turkish for “snacks” or “appetizers”) like olive piyaz (olive salad dressed in herbs and a vinaigrette), girit (cheese and pistachio spread), spicy ezme (vegetable-based chopped salad with tomatoes, peppers, and onions), and Albanian liver (a tender side of lamb or veal liver seasoned with hot peppers).
All of the kebabs are made with hand-ground meat cooked in the same wood-fired oven that cranks out pizzas like the “Anatolian” (Kayseri pastrami, Turkish sausages, aged Kaskaval cheese). Desserts are simple, including gelato and sutlac (Turkish rice pudding).
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
Seckin says a small menu is the point. Even if you’ve never tried Turkish food before, you can try everything. “And after, like, two hours, you’re going to find out what’s Turkish food,” he laughs. “So, I want to show San Diego Turkish hospitality [and] Turkish culture.”
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
All the cocktails have a Turkish twist—think gin, lemon, and Aperol, but with rose water—and a variety of Turkish spirits like the country’s national drink, raki, an anise-forward spirit made with grapes and raisins. After dinner service, Seckin says he’s hatching plans for nightlife with DJs or live music until midnight or 1 a.m., plus weekend brunch.
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
