Mehmet Usta
Mehmet Usta Rotterdam - dining room with warm wood interior
Key charistaristics:
Max. capacity sit down:
Number of (semi)private areas:
1
Type of cuisine:
Turkish, Grill, Kebab, Halal
Location:
Rotterdam
Area:
Charlois, Rotterdam-Zuid
Mehmet Usta is an authentic Turkish charcoal-grill restaurant in Rotterdam-Zuid, on the Charloisse Lagedijk in Charlois. The kitchen has been grilling here since 1984, and the room seats large parties comfortably around shared platters.
The chef's craft was learned in Diyarbakir and shaped in Adana, and both traditions are on the grill: the famous Adana kebab alongside Diyarbakir-style ciger sis. Everything is cooked over traditional charcoal, in an interior of warm wood and low lighting.
Group dining
Mehmet Usta suits informal group dinners, incentive evenings and family-style programs where sharing is the point. The kitchen's showpiece is an Adana kebab served at one metre and 1.5 metres - carried to the table whole, it works as a genuine centrepiece for a group.
- Cuisine: Turkish charcoal grill, kebab, mezze - halal
- Private room: 1 atmospheric private space for group bookings
- Suited to: business dinners, celebrations and shared-table group programs
- Drinks: the menu is alcohol-free - Turkish tea and coffee, ayran, salgam suyu, fresh juices and soft drinks
- Location: Charlois, Rotterdam-Zuid
The private room
A separate private room is available for group bookings and is used for business dinners as well as private celebrations. Group reservations are handled on request, with the menu agreed in advance.
Opening hours:
Monday - Thursday 12:00 - 23:00
Friday - Sunday 11:00 - 00:00
A representative selection from the full menu. Dishes are served family-style and are well suited to shared group menus.
Mezze
- Cacik - yoghurt with cucumber, garlic and mint
- Acili ezme - spicy tomato and pepper spread
- Babagannus - roasted aubergine with garlic and lemon
- Cig kofte - traditionally prepared spiced bulgur
- Sigara boregi - crisp pastry rolls filled with cheese
- Icli kofte - bulgur croquette with spiced minced meat
- Mixed cold and hot mezze platter, made for sharing
Salads
- Coban salatasi - tomato, cucumber, onion and parsley
- Gavurdagi salatasi - finely chopped salad with walnut and pomegranate
- Akdeniz salatasi - fresh Mediterranean vegetables
From the charcoal grill
- Adana kebap - spicy grilled minced lamb
- Urfa kebap - mildly seasoned minced lamb
- Kuzu sis - grilled lamb cubes on the skewer
- Tavuk sis - grilled chicken skewer
- Ciger sis - grilled lamb liver, the Diyarbakir speciality
- Pirzola - grilled lamb chops; Kaburga - slow-grilled lamb ribs
- Beyti - grilled minced kebab in lavash with sauce
Sharing centrepieces
- Mehmet Speciaal - mixed grill of Adana kebab, lamb chops, lamb skewer, chicken skewer and chicken wing
- Mehmet Speciaal Ozel - premium mixed grill with Adana kebab, lamb skewer, lamb ribs and lamb chops
- Adana kebab at 1 metre or 1.5 metres - the house showpiece, served whole to the table
Vegetarian and sides
- Falafel; patatesli manti (potato dumplings with yoghurt); mixed fried vegetables
- Bulgur pilavi, rice pilaf, plain Turkish yoghurt
- A children's menu is available
Desserts
- Kunefe - warm cheese pastry, also served with Turkish ice cream
- Katmer - thin pastry with pistachio and cream
- Havuc dilimi - walnut and pistachio baklava
- Trilece, firin sutlac (oven-baked rice pudding), islak kek
- Maras dondurma - traditional Turkish ice cream
Wraps (durum) are available for takeaway only. Please inform staff of any allergies.
Example menu: