• Turkey •
Alihan's Mediterranean Cuisine
February Showcase
124 6th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Phone: (412) 888-0630 |
Alihan’s Mediterranean Cuisine is a Turkish restaurant located in Downtown Pittsburgh. As a family-owned business, they aim to form meaningful connections with customers and create authentic dishes influenced by their hometown, Rize, Turkey.
The Owners: Martina and Alihan We had the pleasure of talking to the owner’s wife, Martina. She shared that she is actually from the Czech Republic, unlike her husband, Alihan, who is from Turkey. She met her husband when she came to Pittsburgh as an exchange student. Though she had originally planned on only staying in Pittsburgh for a year, after she met Alihan, she changed her mind and decided to stay in the US. Now, they run the restaurant as a family-owned business. Her favorite role in the restaurant is acting as a hostess because she enjoys interacting with all the guests, especially greeting them and seeing them enjoy the food. We also got to see their young son, who was so cute (even when he was grumpy)! Martina described their experience with running two restaurants - Alihan’s Mediterranean and Giovanni’s Pizza & Pasta - during the COVID-19 pandemic. She and Alihan were both concerned about the restaurants’ success during the pandemic’s onset, but thankfully, they were able to recover with help from government grants and event catering. Despite hardships with the pandemic, staffing, and obtaining ingredient shipments from Turkey, they have continued to craft unique recipes and expand both restaurants. In the future, Alihan hopes to establish another restaurant in the downtown Pittsburgh area, a breakfast spot with a café ambiance. Consuming tea and baked goods is an integral aspect of Turkish culture, and they hope to share this tradition with the Pittsburgh community. The Restaurant Upon first glance, the outside of the restaurant was enticing with the mystical font of the name Alihan’s positioned eloquently above the patio. The patio itself had beautiful decorations hanging from its covering; if it had not been so cold, it would have been lovely to dine outside! Once we entered the building, I [Erin] was in awe of the amount of detail and elegance everywhere I looked. All of the tables were draped in spotless white tablecloths, intricate frames hung on the walls, and a beautiful thin waterfall divided the entranceway and the main dining area. The staff members were extremely welcoming throughout our entire time there, elevating the quality of experience we had even more. Once our food was served, I instantly noticed the attention to fine details on the glasses and plates. The Turkish tea, for example, was in a glass rimmed with a gold and silver design. Each dish was plated in a way that made me want to both start eating right away and wait so as to not disturb its beautiful placement. After talking with Martina, I learned that much of the decor was brought from Turkey by her husband; much of his family is in the restaurant industry in Turkey as well! Every aspect of this establishment made my first, but certainly not last, visit to Alihan’s one to remember. The Food Our members had the opportunity to sample a wide variety of dishes that the restaurant serves. These are our thoughts: Deandra - I got the Chicken Adana Kebab. It was ground chicken breast served with a side of white rice and salad. The kebabs were packed with a spicy and smoky flavor that was well balanced by the simple addition of the rice and salad. Luckily, the portions were plenty which left me a chance to experience genuine Turkish flavors later in the day Korrina - I ordered the Chicken Shish Kebab, which included a rice pilaf, salad, and grilled chicken kebabs. The chicken was flavorful and cooked to perfection! The salad was very refreshing and complemented the chicken perfectly. I also tried Turkish tea for the first time! Aside from the smooth texture and unique flavors, I absolutely loved the tea cup itself, which had intricate gold designs and a clear exterior that accentuated the color of the tea. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and overall dining experience at Alihan’s Mediterranean. I will definitely visit again in the future! Jocelynne - I ordered the Chicken Adana Kebab, which contained spiced chicken breast, rice pilaf and a side salad. The plate was perfectly balanced between the spice of the chicken, the freshness of the salad and the creaminess of the rice. I also ordered the Turkish tea, which was especially soothing on the cold, brisk day we visited Alihan's. Haley - While at Alihan’s, I ordered the Lamb Adana Kebab. This dish consisted of skewered and chargrilled ground lamb and served with a side salad. The lamb was cooked perfectly. It was a little smoky from the chargrill which complimented the flavor of the lamb very well. It had the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, with a slight hint of spice that hit on the back of your tongue. This is normally served with both a side salad and rice pilaf, but since I’m gluten free, I had the option of just the side salad. I really appreciated the fact that the staff had asked about any food allergies/dietary restrictions; they even went so far as to provide menus that were gluten-free friendly. Overall, I had an amazing time at Alihan’s! It would definitely be one of my top recommendations for Mediterranean cuisine in the Pittsburgh area. I’m looking forward to going back with friends! |