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Diners at the recently-opened restaurant Kuzina, in Orewa, could be forgiven for thinking they had been transported to the Mediterranean.
The striking Spanish tiles were imported from Spain, while the doorway pillars symbolise the Greek architecture of the Acropolis, in Athens.
The cuisine is also a rich mix of the two cultures.
Kuzina is owned by business partners Adem Eser, Servet Kaplan and Eres Job, who all have years of experience in the hospitality industry, both in New Zealand and overseas.
“Choosing the location for our establishment was never the problem,” Adem says.
“We knew we wanted to be in the seaside community of Orewa. After looking at what else was on offer in the area, we knew locals would love a mixture of Spanish and Greek cuisine.”
As well as being a part-owner, Servet is also the chef. Originally from Istanbul, he comes from a family of chefs and specialises in Mediterranean cuisine.
He has perfected his much-loved recipes to bring together flavours that suit the New Zealand palette.
“Everything is made fresh, our produce is of high quality and we cater for vegetarian and gluten free. Our most popular dishes are Kaplan’s mussels and our original beef Iskender.”
The restaurant also offers a wide range of beverages including the popular ouzo, a colourless aniseed alcoholic drink and a range of Spanish beers and wines.
Adem, who arrived in New Zealand from Istanbul to learn English 12 years ago, says his family is multi-national.
“I met my wife Min, in New Zealand. She is Korean and our two children speak three languages – Korean, Turkish and English. When we were looking at where to settle both of us couldn’t bear to leave New Zealand.”
