Diablo Dish: Turkish Restaurant Coming from Elia Team | Diablo Dish | diablomag.com

Fatih Ulas is at it again—and this time, it’s personal. The East Bay restaurateur behind the Sultan’s Kebab eateries, Elia in Pleasanton and Walnut Creek, and the Duchess in Pleasanton is set to open a new Turkish concept in Dublin. Bodrum is modeled after the kind of light, bright fare that Istanbul native Ulas is familiar with from living in the restaurant’s namesake town located on the Aegean coast of the southwestern part of Turkey. And unlike his others, which are more pan-Mediterranean in influence, Ulas says Bodrum will be “100 percent Turkish.”

“I’ve opened many other restaurants and concepts that had Turkish influence, but I didn’t really label them that,” he says. “With this, I wanted to bring out my culture with the name, the food, the style, the service—everything.”

As such, Bodrum will offer a selection of 20-plus hot and cold shareable mezze appetizers, including deep-cut Turkish items such as manti potato dumplings filled with garlic beef and served with yogurt, mint, and paprika burnt butter; lightly fried slivers of zucchini and eggplant with saganaki cheese and tzatziki; sliced, butter-poached lamb liver with white onion and sumac; and börek spring rolls filled with Turkish pastrami, kasseri cheese, tomatoes, and peppers. There will also be more familiar Mediterranean standards such as grilled octopus; dolmas; skillet-fried saganaki cheese flambéed table side with brandy (a favorite at Elia); and hummus, tzatziki, and muhammara dips served with pita and raw veggies. (A selection of mezzes will be on display for customers to peruse at the front counter, similar to Spanish tapas restaurants). Reflecting its Aegean roots, the kitchen will offer plenty of seafood dishes: lobster pasta, swordfish skewers, and grilled sea bream, sea bass, and salmon all make the entrée list. Meat dishes include lamb chops, kofta meatballs, char-grilled chicken wings, and marinated petite tenderloin served over smoked eggplant with garlic yogurt. There will also be several salads, an expanded hummus section, oven-baked flatbreads, and plenty of vegetarian dishes, as is common in Turkish cuisine.

The kitchen will be overseen by longtime Sultan’s Kebab executive chef Mahmut Seyhan, a partner in the restaurant. There will also be a full bar with signature cocktails. The restaurant seats around 90 inside, 30 more on an outdoor patio, and sports a striking coastal Turkish motif designed by Ulas himself. Bodrum is located in the former Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria space at the Shops at Waterford shopping center on Tassajara Road just off Interstate 580, and it will be launching as soon as May 15.

This, by the way, is the second Turkish concept headed for the Tri-Valley, following the news that Meyhouse—an Istanbul‑style Turkish tavern—will be replacing Dumpling Time at San Ramon’s City Center Bishop Ranch.

Naschmarkt

We go from Turkey to Austria, as it’s come to our attention that Naschmarkt has made its debut in downtown Pleasanton. The contemporary Austrian restaurant opened early last month at 310 Main Street, across from Zachary’s Chicago Pizza, and offers a modern take on Viennese cuisine in very sleek, stylish environs. Dishes such as eggplant lasagna, spring rabbit, chicken paprikash, and pork schnitzel braised in a mushroom cream sauce make the entrée list to complement a full bar with seasonal and classic cocktails.

There’s a new brewery in town, and there’s nothing subtle about it. Headyworks Brewing, noteworthy for its bold lineup of fruit-forward sours and IPAs, as well as its loud, retro-90s design and color scheme, debuted a small taproom in Livermore. Located at the eastern end of the city near I-580 and South Vasco Road, Headyworks is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Also in Livermore, longtime barbecue purveyor Emil Villas Hickory Pit debuted in its new location in the historic Rock House building on Portola Avenue with a familiar menu of classic breakfast, ribs, and homemade pies. It’s got a new name, too: Family BBQ Hickory Pit. Facilitating the move was Inocencio Hernandez, a longtime employee who started as a dishwasher and took over ownership of the restaurant in 2023.

Today is the day for the debut of Daytrip Counter from owners Finn Stern and Stella Dennig. Despite national plaudits, the couple closed their previous full-service restaurant, Daytrip, late last year in Oakland’s Temescal and pivoted to a more casual concept with an order-at-the-counter, takeout-friendly menu oriented around glamped-up rotisserie chicken, available in half and whole portions. There will also be creative sandwiches and salads, such as a basil Caesar with grana Padano, pickled peppers, and garlic breadcrumbs; and cilantro lime crunch with charred tomatillo vinaigrette, red cabbage, pickled onion, sheep’s milk feta, and candied pumpkin seeds. The chicken, meanwhile, is seasoned and brined overnight and injected with a chicken fat and stock sauce while roasting for maximal flavor.

Market Hall in Oakland’s Rockridge district is renowned for its selection of boutique artisan foods from across the country and the world. And many will be available to sample at their annual Indie Food Fest happening this Saturday, May 10, from noon to 3 p.m. The market-wide event “will feature tastings of cheese, charcuterie, olive oil, and more” from dozens of independent producers. In addition, authors Georgia Freedman and Katie Reicher will be on hand signing copies of their latest cookbooks.

A modern take on classic British tea service is coming to the east East Bay. Owner Erin Green is set to debut Hen and Drake Modern Tearoom at 520 West Second Street in downtown Antioch this June. Green, an Oakley resident who came up with the idea during the pandemic and started a mobile version of Hen and Drake last year, will offer a variety of afternoon tea services featuring exotic teas paired with savory and sweet treats, including finger sandwiches, quiches, and scones with clotted cream and jam.

It looks like Berkeley’s popular Boichik Bagels is this close to launching its newest location in Concord’s Oak Grove Plaza. According to a recent Instagram post, the space is mostly complete and just needs to pass inspection for the final go-ahead.

Congrats to Francesco Esposito, proprietor of Pleasanton’s Locanda Amalfi, who spun what was dubbed the 5th-best Neapolitan-style pizza at the recent International Pizza Expo and Conference. The Las Vegas show is the largest such event in the world, bringing pizzaiolos from across the world to compete in various categories.

Oakland’s popular Sobo Ramen will soon open a new location in downtown Berkeley at University Avenue and Milvia Street. They’re set for a soft opening next Monday, May 12.

Pierre Pierre is looking for a new location after a scary shooting Friday night at its downtown Oakland restaurant.

Hayward’s Don Polvorón Bakery, which makes Mexican breads and sweets in addition to full breakfast and lunch dishes, launched a new location on Las Positas Road in Livermore. Early bird alert: They open at 5 a.m.!

Fusion Buffet, offering all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet service, is now open in Concord’s Sunvalley Shopping Center. It’s $21 for lunch and $30 for dinner.

James Beard Award–winning, worker-owned Oakland restaurant Understory is back open.