Turkish Restaurant Opens In Fort Greene

For many months, a banner with pictures of kebabs promised a new Turkish restaurant on the corner of Fulton Street and South Elliot in Fort Greene. Finally, Deniz (662 Fulton Street, Brooklyn), has opened.

Co-owner Yucel Yuksel lives in Bensonhurst, where he also co-owns the Turkish fast food restaurant Istanbul Fast Food (2202 86th Street, Brooklyn). His patrons there compelled him to take his Turkish fare to a sit-down venue, and he felt like there was a Turkish food void in Fort Greene.  The restaurant bills itself as “Turkish Mediterranean”; most of the dishes are traditional Turkish with a couple of basic Italian red-sauce-white-sauce pastas thrown in “just in case someone wants pasta,” says Yuksel.

In addition to the hummus and kebabs you’d expect, there are a number of seafood items on the extensive menu, including a whole roasted Branzini, as well as chicken chops; homemade manti–turkish dumplings stuffed with seasoned lamb and onions; fried calf’s liver cubes; zucchini pancakes; and a shrimp casserole with kashar cheese.

The restaurant is already good to go with a liquor license. The wine list features just a couple Turkish options, skewing more Italian and Spanish in its offerings. They also have Turkish beer and a grape alcohol called Efe that’s similar to Ouzo.