Turkish Delight
When you first step into Instanbul Hawaii, you’re hit with energy. Your nostrils start to twitch from the aromas of spices. Above the chattering voices of diners, you hear up-tempo Turkish music and the clanging of sizzling pans in the open kitchen. Your eyes wander from the 100-year-old Turkish carpet to the potted olive trees flanking the bar. If you look up, you’ll see wagon wheel chandeliers inspired by the ones found in the Ayasofya Müzesi (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul — only these were made by owner and chef, Ahu Hettema, and her husband. For their first restaurant, Hettema and her family put time and energy to make Istanbul Hawaii look like a modern Turkish home, so that diners feel like welcomed guests invited over for a meal.
According to Hettema, Turkish cuisine is a blend of the large geographic area that was once the Ottoman Empire: think the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean. Hettema’s family hails from the southernmost coast of Turkey along the Mediterranean Sea, so Istanbul Hawaii’s cuisine skews more Mediterranean with some Middle East influence. Many of the recipes for the menu were passed down from her grandparents.
“My memories are filled with cooking and kitchen scents, and those are things that make me happy, and [that’s] what I try to bring in my place,” Hettema says. Istanbul Hawaii imports items such as Turkish pepper paste — “the umami of Turkish cuisine,” Hettema says — and extra virgin olive oil all the way from Turkey. “These are very important base ingredients,” she says. “Without these, it won’t taste right.”
They also import levrek, or Mediterranean Sea Bass, all the way from Turkey once a week through a local fish purveyor to be served on a bed of saffron rice. Other ingredients are sourced locally and sustainably, like fresh produce from Ho Farms and beef from Kunoa Cattle Company.
The fan favorite item is the mezze platter, featuring dips handmade by Hettema’s mom, like babaganoush and muhammara, served in a copper tray imported from Turkey. For main dishes, you can’t go wrong with the lamb, like the lamb tenderloin shish kabab — full of flavor and tender as they come, these lamb skewers deserve the hype.
“Lamb is a popular protein in Turkey, so we know how to cook it right,” she says. For dessert, consider the Hatay Künefe, which is fresh cheese and shredded filo sweetened with honey.
Rich in vegetables, like eggplant and cauliflower, Turkish cuisine also tends to be vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. With sides of saffron pilaf, which is rice, many dishes are gluten-free, too.
Opening a restaurant was never in the cards for Hettema, who went to college for animation and psychology with goals of becoming an art therapist. But some time ago, Hettema experienced immigration problems that wouldn’t let her return to Turkey for a decade, which left her wondering what her future would hold.
“If you cannot come to Turkey, we will bring you Turkey,” her mom told her. The family reunited on O‘ahu, and Hettema and her mom started cooking together. She found it cathartic. The two cooked so much, they shared a dish or two with their neighbors.
Finally, one neighbor told the ladies to open a farmers market stand, so people beyond her circle could try their delicious fare. One stand quickly became four, which then turned into the idea for a restaurant. The family put everything they had into the inviting eatery that you now see at Ward Village.
The gamble seems to have paid off — now more than a year and a half later, the restaurant has garnered its fair share of loyal patrons and reservations are definitely a must — especially if you want to dine alfresco.
“I wasn’t expecting people to appreciate us this much,” Hettema says. “I love what I do, and I feel so lucky to have found my calling in life.”
Istanbul Hawaii, 1108 Auahi St., Ste. 152, 808-772-4440, istanbulhawaii.com