Out With The Old, In With The New Turkish Delight

The Turkish city of Istanbul is known as the place where Europe and Asia meet, but a new restaurant in New Haven is where those cultures can collide on your plate.

Mayor Toni Harp and Yale University Properties officials joined Jack Donmez and his family Thursday to celebrate the opening of Midpoint Istanbul at 245 Crown St.

If the address looks familiar, it should. Midpoint Istanbul was previously home to Istanbul Café. Donmez said the previous owner was looking to get out of the business, and he was looking to get in.

But Donmez didn’t want to stick to the traditional, dark, almost den-like atmosphere of his predecessor’s restaurant. He renovated the restaurant and kitchen to give Midpoint Istanbul a bright modern appearance — a nod to that city’s more European flair.

Donmez said he harkened back to his own hometown when considering what kind of food to serve. He is from Edirne, which like Istanbul, is another intersection of cultures, specifically Greek and Bulgarian. One of the dishes on the menu — the edirne ciger — is named for his hometown. It is pan-fried, thinly sliced pieces of liver and it was one of the many mezzes, or small plates, on the menu.

The restaurant’s menu also consists of what he calls ​“fresh quality, farm-to-table,” and ​“modern Mediterranean-style” food including traditional Ottoman Empire dishes such as hunkar begendi, which translates to English as ​“sultan’s delight,” and is fire-smoked eggplants blended with cream sauce. The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. serving lunch and dinner, Sunday through Friday, and from 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday.

Donmez, who is from a family of restauranteurs in Turkey, said he’s been in New Haven for two years and wanted to start a restaurant here because he loves the city.

“I love the unique people, and the international people that get here because of Yale,” he said. He also was said he was grateful for the help he received from Yale University Properties on the roof and facade of the restaurant.

The opening of Midpoint Istanbul has allowed Mayor Toni Harp to take a short trip around the world without leaving the city. In recent weeks, she noted that she’s participated in the opening of restaurants that include Swiss, Peruvian, Japanese and Chinese cultures and now Turkey.

“Once again New Haven’s reputation as a destination for foodies grows,” she said Thursday. ​“This time with a new destination called Midpoint Istanbul, and all of us who enjoy good food are the beneficiaries. This opening underscores what people throughout the region already know: For a great meal with fresh ingredients, representing cultures from around the world, you simply must come to New Haven.”

Harp said with the start of the festival season it’s a good time to open a restaurant. The city will host tens of thousands of visitors in the next three to four months,” she said.

Lauren Zucker, Yale University associate vice president for New Haven affairs and University Properties, said helping attract new businesses to downtown New Haven and creating jobs is part of Yale’s investment in the city and it is why it is one of the top taxpayers. She thanked Donmez for adding to the city’s diverse food landscape.

“It is no wonder that New Haven is hailed as a city for foodies and just like the sweet treat that one can find in Istanbul, we’re sure that Midpoint Istanbul will be a true Turkish delight.”