A’la Turka

Yadah Castle, Pretoria - SOUTH AFRICA

Exotic delicacies. Antique knives. Persian pillows. Romantic drapes and ambience. Sensuous belly dancers sh-shshaking their waists. This is dinner at A’la Turka. Walking through A’la Turka’s huge doors set in castle atop a hill, one is instantly transported to the extremely powerful and wealthy sixteenth century Ottoman Empire, leaving behind a 21st century Irene. The décor and ambience of the restaurant is exactly what one might expect if in past lives given the chance to walk into the palace of some great Mediterranean emperor.

Antique knife sets, coins and jewellery, framed in wooden cases, adorn the walls. Immaculately designed light fittings cast strange shadows onto the walls, with Persian carpets and pillows scattered on the floors around low tables. The ambience is absolutely breath-taking, and immediately sets a person on auto-pleasure mode.

The early Ottoman’s believed in the value of having guests over, and they relished in sharing food and conversation around the table. Food was then not about filling up, but more about the experience of togetherness and well-being, a practice of gratitude for good fortune. Gokhan and Vannessa Hacisuleyman, owners of A’la Turka, have captured the ancient essence of hosting perfectly. Friendly service and great food makes for easy, patient enjoyment of a truly emotional experience. From the handcrafted benches to the antique Ottoman Empire taps in the bathrooms, authenticity is a virtue not easily faked.