Hasan Kolcuoglu, especially known for its meter kebab, is a Turkish restaurant, currently located at the Pearl and the Mall of Qatar. Since its opening we were keen to try it, but never really got a chance. Until last Saturday, when we had lunch at their Pearl branch.
Ambiance:
The interior of the place is well thought of, the one that gives you the right Turkish feels. There’s ample space for small and large groups. Indoor as well as outdoor sitting is available. As the weather was pleasant that afternoon, we decided to sit out on the terrace.
Service:
We have always believed that no matter how good the food is, service is what makes or breaks the repute of a restaurant. In this case, the service was definitely good. Food was served in adequate time. Smiling faces all around, gave us such good vibes. Only one issue we had was that while giving our order we weren’t really guided well as to what to order or what should not be missed. Even upon asking that what is the bestseller or what is their recommendation, we weren’t given any one proper answer.
Food:
Now lets talk about the best part, of course the food!
Drinks:
Both the drinks were refreshing and well-balanced, neither too sour nor too sweet.
Starters:
- Kolcuoglu Salad: We liked this salad which was a combination of tomato, pickled cucumbers and spring onions. It was served with pomegranate molasses which added just the right punch to the flavor.
Humus: This was a little grainy, not as smooth as the ordinary humus. Some might like it, but we like our ordinary rather authentic humus more!
- Peynirle Pide: This was traditional bread topped with turkish cheese. We didn’t find it to be extra-ordinary. It was just like any other.
Main Course:
- Tavuk Kebab: We found this chicken minced meat kebab to be a bit dry. The taste as good though.
- Chef Special: As the name suggests, this dish is chef’s specialty. It consists of chicken thighs, chicken kebab, lamb chunks, adana kebab and lamb chops, all served on the bed of grilled eggplant, oozing with cheese and sealed with bread! Yes all this in one plate! Also, it was served in a unique way, where the server unsealed the dish in front of us, on our table. You can check the full video here.
- Adana Iskender: This was definitely the dish of the day for us. The minced lamb meat was very tender, melt in your mouth types. The flavor was very subtle, not overpowering the original taste of the meat. It was served with tomato sauce and yoghurt and small chunks of bread, all of which accompanied the minced meat very well.
Dessert:
Ice Kunafa:
This traditional Turkish dessert was served with a modern twist of liquid nitrogen. It was a perfect sweet ending to our meal.
What we liked:
- We definitely recommend the Adana Iskender and Chef Special. Especially due to flavorful and tender lamb meat.
- Also we liked the fact that the tablet menu was very simple and helpful. Every item on the menu was represented with a picture, which made it easier for us to order.
What we didn’t like:
- Outdoor seating in pleasant weather was a good idea but the flies gave us some trouble on an occasion or two.
Our Verdict:
As it was our first time at Hasan Kolcuoglu, we really didn’t know what to expect but thankfully we had a pretty good experience. We were so full by the end but were still craving for more. Due to which we’ll be paying another visit soon. And would definitely check out their famous meter kebab.
Note: We were guests at the restaurant but all the views and pictures are of our own.
D-TOWN FOOD DIARIES 