Turkish delight: Plant-based Sydney pleasures

Steakhouses are two a penny. Asian restaurants? In abundance. Seafood specialists? So many.

But plant-based eateries focusing on the cuisine of Turkiye? Not so much.

Not only does renowned chef Somer Sivrioğlu’s eatery Maydanoz have a different food and wine vibe, it also offers excellent, informed service at a central Sydney location - just behind Wynyard station.

Even on a Monday night, Maydanoz (Turkish for parsley) is buzzing with several groups relishing the share plate offering.

It is a venue that is very much on-trend, with many individuals nowadays making efforts to reduce their meat and dairy intake.

I'm a protein man through and through but the flavours and textures on offer at Maydanoz are good enough to turn my head, while my vegetable-loving wife is in her element.

Anyone expecting simple flatbreads, kofte and meaty kebabs will find themselves out of their comfort zone - but in a good way.




The meze-style menu is a collaboration between Sivrioğlu (currently filming MasterChef in Turkiye) and his group executive chef Arman Uz, who is on duty the night we dine.

The menu features many dishes that would be cooked at home, not in restaurants, along the Aegean coast of western Turkiye, Uz tells us.

Guided by an excellent maitre 'd and a charming server, both very well informed about the menu, we sample dishes ranging from festive stone-baked bread with Pepe Saya butter, lentil kofte with lettuce leaf, radish, molasses and pickled chilli (a Turkish san choy bow), and salty and chewy barbecued Tilba haloumi with thyme honey and sesame. 

Lovers of dips will enjoy the whipped feta, pistachios, sweet and sour grapes with basil and dill, while mains included Brussel sprouts with , baba ganoush, pistachio and chilli, along with Imam Bayildi; eggplant, tomato, bullhorn, tamarind and green herbs. 

For those who cannot live without meat or fish, there are but two protein options: kingfish collar kebab with sumac onion, ezme salsa, and chicken with bulgur pilaf, chilli and tomato.



For adventurous drinkers, Australian wines are joined on the list by Turkish wines from the coastline stretching from Gallipoli on the north to Denizli on the south.

Think the likes of easy drinking styles including Isabey Sauvignon Blanc, Majestik Grenache and Kalecik Karasi Rosé, Sevilen Plato Kalecik Karasi, and Centum Syrah, all very reasonably priced by the glass.

There is also a good list of cocktails and beers.



Maydanoz is open for dinner Monday to Saturday from 5pm and lunch from Monday to Friday from noon. It is well worth a visit. 

See https://www.maydanoz.com.au/. (02) 9262 3161 50 Carrington St, Sydney.

# The writer was a guest of Maydanoz 

and apple juice.

New eatery poses some meaty questions

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, plant-based: it can be hard to keep up with the range of different lifestyle dining options. 

As more and more people cut out, or reduce, the amount of red meat in their diet, celebrated Turkish-born chef Somer Sivrioğlu has teamed with business partner Tarik Köni to launch a new plant-predominant dining venue: Maydanoz, in Sydney’s CBD 

Opened this week, it is the third venue from the Turkish-influenced Origins Dining Group, and its first plant-predominant offering. 

Maydanoz (parsley in Ottoman Turkish) is a 100-seat Aegean coast-inspired bar and restaurant paying homage to that region’s casual vegetable-driven meze bars. 

Maydanoz will showcase traditional dishes from the western region of Turkey, where plant-led dining is abundant, and meat is typically seen as a supporting act to vegetables. 

With most of the dishes prepared zeytinyagli style (cooked in olive oil), hero ingredients will include wild weeds; fresh herbs; ancient seeds, grains and legumes. 

Group executive chef Arman Uz has created the menu, with signature dishes including house-made dips, dolmas, sarmas and seasonal vegetables.

The menu is designed to be shared, with a variety of dishes served meze style in small plates to accompany the venue’s extensive Turkish (and Australian) beverage collection. 

“We are thrilled to debut a new dining concept for Sydney with the launch of Maydanoz, as one of the country’s first plant-predominant Turkish restaurants," says Sivrioğlu. 

@So often, people equate Turkish cuisine to kebab or lamb, but in fact the meat is often secondary to the incredible array of vegetable-driven dishes available in Turkish cuisine.

"We look forward to introducing Sydney to this side of Turkish cuisine, and to continue showcasing the incredible wines from the region as well."

One of the few meat items on the menu is apparently sheep’s head soup, which I somehow do not see as having widespread gourmet appeal.   

Located at Shop 1, 50 Carrington St, Sydney; Maydanoz will operate six  days per week for lunch and dinner from May 26 - closed Sundays. Right now it is dinner service only. 

The website is www.maydanoz.com.au/, but when I checked on Tuesday it contained zero info.

Images: Steven Woodburn