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Bistro Antalya owner in trouble


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You may have already heard this, but Bulent Ertur, the owner of Bistro Antalya on Broadway and maker of the best gyro-type sandwiches I've ever had, has been in INS jail for the past couple of weeks in some sort of immigration dispute.

Seattle Weekly story

Ertur is a nice guy and a brilliant cook.  I don't know the details of his case, nor do I care (there's no intimation that it's in any way 9/11 related).  I want the guy back tending his doner kebap on Broadway, and I've long been hoping that he'll someday expand his menu and grow into an open storefront on Broadway, but keep the sandwich counter.  Without immigrants like Bulent Ertur, I would be out of a job and generally despondent.

(Full disclosure:  I'm quoted on Bistro Antalya's web site, which doesn't seem to have any information about Ertur's case.)

Matthew Amster-Burton, aka "mamster"

Author, Hungry Monkey, coming in May

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  • 1 month later...

As far as I know, his case is still in process. There's no word on whether he's being deported, coming back, or if he does come back, whether he'll have enough money to reopen the restaurant. If anyone hears anything, do jump in.

Matthew Amster-Burton, aka "mamster"

Author, Hungry Monkey, coming in May

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There's a website (bistroantalya.com), but there is zero INS news on it. I have just written an email to them asking if there is an update. If I get a response, I'll post it.

Kathy

"Save Donald Duck and Fuck Wolfgang Puck."

-- State Senator John Burton, joking about

how the bill to ban production of foie gras in

California was summarized for signing by

Gov. Schwarzenegger.

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Bulent's friend has emailed me back. She can say only that he is still being detained and the restaurant is still closed. I told her to let him know that some food-loving folks were wondering how he is doing and wish him well.

Kathy

"Save Donald Duck and Fuck Wolfgang Puck."

-- State Senator John Burton, joking about

how the bill to ban production of foie gras in

California was summarized for signing by

Gov. Schwarzenegger.

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  • 8 months later...
The place isn't empty. There is another little sandwich shop in there, I thought . . .?

I think the confusion is because the article is from May of last year. I did some poking around on the web to see if there is any recent info on Bulent, but no luck really. I just get depressed when I think of not being able to have that divine doner kebab sandwich anymore. :sad:

Most women don't seem to know how much flour to use so it gets so thick you have to chop it off the plate with a knife and it tastes like wallpaper paste....Just why cream sauce is bitched up so often is an all-time mytery to me, because it's so easy to make and can be used as the basis for such a variety of really delicious food.

- Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Book of Food & Drink, 1946

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