Chef Dogan Turkish Grill

I have always seen this small sign along Katipunan Extension, but haven't really attempted to try it out, thinking that this Grill would be similar to the other Persian restos in town. Of course, I read the sign, saying that it was a 'Turkish Grill,' but I didn't really know what that meant or how different it would be from the usual Shawarma or Kebab.


Well, during a late Saturday night, we decided to dine in and see for ourselves (it helped that I read about the resto in clickthecity some time ago, which made me remember that it might be worth a try). We took a table outside, since it's a small place and a mid-sized group was already occupying most of the seats inside. Good thing it was a pretty cool night :)

One thing you'll notice, prices are not like your usual Persian food trip. I thought it might be quite hard to draw in customers, given that the place is close to universities, and students would probably be in a budget when dining out.

The shawarma is called a 'sandwich,' and we were surprised that they didn't actually serve the same food as Persian restos. It may be similar, but different. Argh, how else can I explain it? I guess you'll have to try it out for yourselves :)

Sweet Lassi, P85

Mix(ed) Salad, P135

We started with a Sweet Lassi and a Mix(ed) Salad. The salad consisted of Mutabal, Hummus, Babaganuc, and Russian Salad served with 4 small pitas (they call it bread). The Russian Salad was not unlike a Potato Salad. I specifically like the Eggplant and Hummus; the pita serving should probably be more than just 4 though.

Since it was pretty late already, we just ordered the Beef Kebab Sandwich and a Grilled Chicken dish. Beef Kebab was pretty small, and was plain (plain in the sense that it didn't come with any side dish). It looked so tiny when placed on their plate. The grilled chicken came with white rice, 2 pita, and a small side salad.

Beef Kebab Sandwich, P145

I guess what really differentiates these Turkish dishes is the flavor of the beef kebab and grilled chicken. I think the other parts of the dish (whether the pita, the sauce, or the salad) were purposefully bland so customers can really taste how tender and juicy the meat was. It's really a different taste from the Shawarmas we normally have. I particularly liked the chicken, being the chicken-lover that I am. Even if it's white meat, it was cooked perfectly :)

Grilled Chicken, P275

Robbie with Chef Dogan

While Chef Dogan is definitely worth a visit, just remember to watch your budget :)