Thanks to the Ottoman empire’s growth and expansion, hundreds of years ago, Turkish cuisine is one that most of us in the Middle East and Kuwait are quite familiar with, whether you’ve visited Turkey or not. The ingredients are rich and techniques can be meticulous and borne out of a labor of love. And we’ve been satisfying our cravings right here in Kuwait by heading to Emirgan Sutis at The Avenues since 2013.

This year marks the restaurant’s ten-year anniversary and we’re taking a stroll down our own gastronomical memory lane. The story starts in Batum, Georgia with two men; Hacı Mehmet Aga, who was famed for his cakes and pastries and Sütçü Ahmet, who was renowned for his milky desserts. Mevlüt Kocadag, the former’s grandson and the latter’s son-in-law left the family business in 1953 to establish the very first Sütis shop in Nisantası. Half a century later, Sütis had become one of the most famous milk pudding shops in Istanbul after opening in Taksim, in addition to the Nisantası branch in 1982. Four years later, the first official “Emirgan Sütis” restaurant was opened in the Emirgan neighborhood overlooking the Bosphorus. Since 2013, instead of needing to board a plane to Istanbul to embark on a culinary adventure we just headed to Emirgan Sutis. To celebrate ten years of deliciouslness we’re sharing our favorite ten Sutis dining moments!

BREAKFAST
The restaurant is famed for their all-day dining. Starting with breakfast, which can be deceptively simple, but always delicious and fulfilling. Moderation is for people who have never experienced a Sutis breakfast. And the most important thing is to always end the feast with a cup of Traditional Turkish Tea.

1 Borek
When eating out in the morning at a Turkish restaurant, one always orders borek stuffed with spinach or meat (often both and more-often ordering seconds). Börek or burek are a family of pastries that are made of a thin flaky dough such as filo with a variety of fillings. And while the dish can be found in the Balkans, Middle East and Central Asia, but they all compare to Turkish borek and Sutis makes fabulous ones.

2 Menemen Eggs
And of course we can’t forget the Menemen scrambled egg dish. Think of it like Shakshouka’s cousin, with menemen, it is more of a soft egg scramble with lots of silky green peppers and fresh tomato. Crunchy, fresh and the perfect way to fuel up in the morning. To make it an even fancier affair order some Stuffed Simit to add some carbs and happiness to the meal.

LUNCH AND DINNER
If we are visiting for lunch or dinner, we make sure we either skip breakfast altogether or arrive with a healthy appetite because it would just be wrong to not indulge in as many delicious dishes as we humanly can. We always bring a friend or three, so we can order more main dishes because sharing food is the ultimate form of caring.

3 Mezzes and Dips
We might be slightly cheating here but we think of a spread of dips as one item because you need more than one, and at Emirgan Sutis you will be spoiled for choice. From the bright pink Sultan Sauce to the authentically spiced Dolma, and the Hummus Doner to the Kebbeh Sageya, we love it all!

4 Doner Wrap
There are lots of colorful salads to start with, which we definitely encourage you to try but we’re here for something more substantial. We love the Doner Wrap, lavash bread stuffed with doner meat, tomatoes, pickles, served with French fries and tomato sauce. It’s just like enjoying the street-food version in the streets of Istanbul.

5 Kabab Options
Usually when we go to Emirgan Sutis we’re there for the decadent main dishes. All kabab dishes at Sutis are excellent, perfectly balanced and spiced to perfection. They’ve carefully created several options to suit every palate and even offer a vegetarian option. We’re huge fans of the Iskander Kabab, which is doner kebab served on pita bread with butter, yogurt and tomato sauce. Kuzu Lokum, is also another fan-favorite with grilled round sliced lamb loin served with sautéed and vegetables spinach, french fries or baked potato, and your choice of white rice or bulgur. Our vegetarian friends can join the fun too with the flavorsome Eggplant Kabab, which is served with onions, grilled tomato, chili, french fries, and your choice of bulgur, white rice, baked potato or French fries.

DRINKS
Some people think that you should only drink water, we respectfully disagree. Life needs exciting options. Fresh and fruity drinks are aplenty at Emirgan Sutis.

6 Fresh Pomegranate Juice
Sutis offers some fantastic beverages like the Fresh Pomegranate Juice, a tangy and nutritious drink made from hand-pressed pomegranates for a burst of flavor in every sip.

7 Aryan Yogurt Drink
If you’ve ever visited Turkey, you will have been offered this tasty treat of a beverage. Turkey’s favorite drink, the Ayran Yogurt Drink With Mint, can help you start off the meal or help you end it. Whatever you choose, there’s no argument that it is highly refreshing and quite unique to the cuisine.

DESSERT
You know how we started off by making sure you have planned ahead? Well, now is the time it pays off. Because you should have some room left for dessert. Because no one does Turkish desserts in K-town like Emirgan Sutis. It’s a feast for the senses, visually with perfectly plated portions, the unrivaled crunch of freshly made baklava and tastebud heave.

8 Havuc Dilimi with Donderma
This traditional Turkish pastry is made with layers of phyllo dough, filled with pistachio nuts and sweetened with syrup. Then baked until golden and crispy and then split open and filled with delicious Turkish ice cream, donderma. It’s a match made in food heaven.

9 Rice Pudding
Every Middle Eastern kid has had a rice pudding, probably lovingly made by grandma or mom. Get ready to rethink this humble dessert because Sutis have taken it to a new level. Prepared with Turkish Buffalo think cream Kaymak and milk, rice, egg freshly prepared in the traditional Turkish way.

10 Baklava Mix
We always recommend the mix to our friends who want it all, or find it challenging to pick only one thing. There’s no way you can go wrong with a fabulous selection of differently flavored baklava.

By now you should be feeling blissful and probably stuffed, but that’s no reason to go home yet. End on a high-note with some Turkish coffee, or freshly brewed tea with mint and sit back and enjoy the fact that sometimes the best journeys in life are the ones shared with loved ones, right here in Kuwait.

For more information, check out Emirgan Sutis and Hatay Sofrasi in Kuwait to get your taste of Turkish Hospitality at The Avenues, The Gate Mall and Murouj. Follow @Sutis_Kw on Instagram for the latest updates!