The dinner
The Turkish dinner after the sema
What the dinner after the whirling dervishes involves: kebabs, meze, salads, tea, coffee and künefe, with notes on vegetarian meals and drinks.
Reserve the dervish evening ↗Quick answer
Dinner follows the performance at a family-owned restaurant. It is built around kebabs, meze and salads and ends with tea, coffee and the dessert künefe, a cheese pastry in syrup. Drinks are included but not named. Vegetarian and vegan meals are available on request after you reserve.
How dinner fits the evening
The dinner comes after the sema, not before. The group travels from the performance to a restaurant that the ticket describes as family-owned and 140 years old. This order suits the ceremony: UNESCO notes that the whirlers traditionally follow a recommended fast of several hours first, and a meal afterwards is a natural counterpart. The ticket lists food and drinks as included, so the dinner is part of the price rather than an extra to order. The dinner is also the moment for questions about what you have just seen, since the host has already introduced the ritual and everyone has the same reference point.
Meze
Meze are small dishes served as appetisers across the eastern Mediterranean. The word is Turkish, borrowed from Persian, and the habit of serving small dishes goes back to the Byzantine era. A meze table can stand as a meal on its own, which is why the ticket's description of meze alongside kebabs and salads reads as a generous spread. The dishes arrive for sharing, so take a little of each and keep room for what follows. A meze spread can be part of a multi-course meal or form a meal in itself.
Kebabs
Kebab is a family of roasted meat dishes from the Middle East, most often cooked on a skewer over a fire, although some are baked in a pan or stewed. The traditional meat is lamb, but regional recipes use beef, goat, chicken or fish. The ticket says guests sample five kinds of kebab. The ticket does not name them, and menus change, so treat the list as a surprise and ask your host what you are eating. This guide names no dishes because the restaurant sets them. If a dish is unfamiliar, ask your host what it is. Kebabs consist of cut-up meat, sometimes with vegetables and other accompaniments according to the recipe.
Tea, coffee and künefe
The meal ends with tea, coffee and künefe. Künefe is a Turkish version of knafeh, a dessert of shredded pastry layered with cheese and soaked in syrup. The Hatay form is believed to have originated in Hatay Province in Turkey, using a local cheese and a syrup of water, sugar and lemon juice, and Antakya künefesi has protected geographical indication status in the EU. It is the traditional ending, and it pairs well with strong tea or Turkish coffee. If you avoid cheese or have other restrictions, tell the organiser in advance, because künefe is layered with cheese.
Vegetarian and vegan guests
The ticket says vegetarian or vegan options are available on request after reservation. Make the request as soon as you book, not at the table, because the restaurant plans the meal in advance. The ticket does not describe how other dietary needs are handled, so if you have allergies, gluten intolerance or religious restrictions, ask the organiser directly and in writing before the evening.
Drinks
Drinks are included on the ticket, which does not say which. Tea and coffee close the meal. Whether wine, beer, raki or soft drinks are included is not stated, so do not assume alcohol and ask the host before you order. Turkey drinks a great deal of tea, and Wikipedia notes it has the highest per-person tea consumption in the world, so tea is the natural way to close a Turkish meal. Tea also plays a big role in Turkish social gatherings, in tea houses and gardens.
Frequently asked questions
What is for dinner?
Kebabs, meze and salads, then tea, coffee and the dessert künefe. The restaurant sets the exact menu.
Can vegetarians and vegans eat?
Yes, on request. The ticket says vegetarian or vegan options are available after you reserve, so ask when you book.
Is alcohol included?
The ticket lists drinks but does not name them. Ask the host before assuming alcohol is included.
What is künefe?
A dessert of shredded pastry layered with cheese and soaked in syrup. The Hatay version is believed to come from Hatay Province in Turkey.
Where is the dinner held?
At a family-owned restaurant that the group travels to after the performance. Your host will take you there.
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