With three other locations across the UK, Etci Mehmet has now opened its first restaurant in Leeds.
It all started in Istanbul, in 2012. That’s when brothers Mehmet and Mustafa Dag opened the first Etci Mehmet, born out of a passion for hospitality and the restaurant industry. Bringing with them unique flambé cooking, premium meats, and the vibrancy of Turkish culture, the brothers set their sights on the UK, targeting Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and, more recently, Leeds.
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“It’s a unique and premium dining experience,” Operations Director Amine el Gueddar told us. “We’ve travelled the world, opening everywhere from Saudi Arabia and Casablanca to Doha and Qatar. It’s completely unique in the sense that we attract such a diverse array of customers and guests – seeing everybody coming together and having fun over good food is just magical.”
Why Leeds, you ask? Many of their current guests journey from Wakefield and Huddersfield just to visit the Manchester branch. The team wanted to bring the Etci Mehmet experience closer to home, so they picked a beautiful Headrow location where they could flaunt their delicious Turkish flavours. With its rich cultural diversity, Leeds is a perfect match for the brand.
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The venue was was occupied by the Leeds Gas Showroom for a number of years, but the interior’s been completely transformed. The space is absolutely huge, with stone pillars, plush blue banquette seating and an abundance of greenery. Our favourite place was the booths in front of the window, where you can hunker down and enjoy impressive food with a spot of people watching.
Stunning as the surrounds are, wait until you dig into the food. Everything from traditional mezze to beef sushi is on the cards, but the real speciality is the 28 day dry-aged steak. The process of dry ageing enhances the natural flavours and tenderness of the beef, before it’s prepared table-side and cooked in a live flambé show that’s sure to dazzle guests.
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After something a little more low-key? The spicy giant meatball has proven to be a social media sensation, and for good reason. Handcrafted to Etci’s special recipe, cut into it and it’ll ooze with a signature cheese blend – trust us, you’ve never seen anything like it. Elsewhere, crisp salads, burgers, vegan steaks and lamb chops are perfectly delicious options.
After all that, it’d be rude to not finish on a sweet note, and what better way to do so than digging into some baklava? It’s sliced and cut on the table in front of you, complemented with a side of ice cream. Fresh, sweet and nutty in equal measures, it’s the perfect way to round off the whole affair. You can even get it covered with a 24-carat gold leaf!
There’s a wide range of drinks waiting to be sipped, but none of them alcoholic, as Etci Mehmet strives to create a safe environment for the whole family. Don’t worry, though, as signature mocktails include virgin Mojitos, Daiquiris and Babas Mule, as well as alcohol-free beer and wine. There’s also Turkish tea and coffee to really complement the dessert offering.
So, there you have it – if you’re wondering why you should pay a visit, Amine puts it perfectly. “Etci Mehmet serves such a unique menu all while providing a nice environment where you can see everybody coming together to have a great time over food. The vibrancy is paralleled with the service, which is matched with the food offering”. We don’t know about you, but we’re sold.
Etci Mehmet, Unit 1, 3 Eastgate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7LY.
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