A spot in town that has long been an eating destination is serving hungry diners once again. Halva Kebab opened in the former New Yorker Diner spot near Watertown Square, and is serving up a wide range of kebabs and other Turkish dishes.
While the owners are new to the area, they have a long tradition of running restaurants, said co-owner Joseph Dagdelen.
“We have another location in New Jersey,” he said. “We also had one in Turkey, too.”
New Yorker Diner closed in 2020 after serving food for decades. Dagdelen looks forward to continuing the tradition.
“I think we have found a good niche,” Dagdelen said. “People are looking for something authentic, traditional, but also something special that they wouldn’t get in their daily life.”
Before opening, the interior underwent some changes, got a fresh coat of paint, and new equipment was installed in the kitchen to allow the kebabs to be prepared over charcoal grills. The menu includes a variety of kebabs made with beef, chicken, and lamb, and served with rice and salad.
Halva focuses on dishes made from scratch.
“We try to get the best ingredients, the best flavors and try to mix it into our own traditional recipes from Turkey,” Dagdelen said.
As an example, Halva makes its falafel from scratch, even the humus and sauce, Dagdelen said.
One of the restaurant’s signature dishes is ezme, which is a vegetable dip bursting with flavor that is served with pita bread.
“Basically, it’s chopped vegetables with pomegranate sauce and olive oil from our traditional recipe, made not by machine but by hand,” Dadelen said. “It makes it taste much better.”
The menu also features soups, salads, wraps, burgers, and desserts including handmade baklava. Halva’s beverage offerings include Turkish coffee and tea.
Halva opened in late 2023, and has had a good reception.
“It has been better than we expected,” Dagdelen said. “There is a lot of demand and we are very satisfied and happy to serve some good people. The area is really nice, and people are nice as well.”
Halva Kebab, 39 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. See more at www.halvamedigrill.com
Wonderful makeover of the previous diner- can’t wait to try the huge variety of choices!
Super good falafel! It’s delicious and the owners are very nice. Welcome Halva Kebab!