Here at Cafe Arcadia we do pop ups a bit differently. We believe it is important to introduce the ethnicity of a nation’s food and diet. Therefore, as Kurdish background, we offer traditional Kurdish food, which we are passionate about what we do, when it comes to making great forgotten traditional food.
The history of the Kurds goes back to B.C in Mesopotamia, in the Middle East, where the people of this region introduced the world’s first arches and writing systems, built cities, potter’s wheels, metal works, wheeled carts and initiated the science of mathematics, astronomy and key inventions which helped transform the way humankind lived and developed. Mesopotamia not only played a significant role in cultural identity and religious beliefs and hosted some of the earliest advanced civilizations in the world but also introduced the domestication of cattle and most importantly advanced development in agricultural productivity, which is where food comes in.
Food has been one of the most significant aspects of Kurdish culture, whether in the region of ancient Mesopotamia or in the modern world of Kurdistan. Although, at the end of the First World War, the land of the Kurds – Kurdistan – was split among five countries, namely Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Armenia, for political reason; the Kurds still managed to preserve their own unique food and recipes, though some of these are shared with Turkish, Arab, Persian and Armenian cultures.
What makes Kurdish food so substantial and different from the others in the region is the striking combination of hot and sour.
Because of Kurdish political issues in the region, their culture - in particular their food - has not much been paid attention. We want to break down this barrier and introduce you to the taste of traditional Kurdish food.
We want to start with pop up events in our historical café in Brighton.
Traditional Kurdish food contains a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. While the vegetables and fruit are mainly prepared fresh, Kurdish food also includes sundried vegetables and fruit. Lamb and poultry are also primary dishes for the Kurdish kitchen. A typical Kurdish breakfast consists mainly of lawash (flat bread) with fried egg in cooked molasses or black treacle over yogurt.
Here are examples of some popular traditional Kurdish light and main dishes:
Şêx Meşhî (aubergine croquettes with lamb or beef), Kubba (wheat, mince meat and almonds), Beryan (lamb or chicken), keledoş, lamb, lentils, garlic and yogurt), Balcan dolme (aubergine stuffed with mixed vegetable and bulgur) and Tirşik (mixed vegetables baked in the oven), Muhemere (pomegranate, red pepper and walnuts), Mexir (soup with yogurt, wheat, chickpeas and mint), Hêjîr (desert made with figs, pomegranate juice and walnuts).
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Cafe Arcadia
15b Imperial Arcade
Brighton
(5 Dyke Rd door also in use)
T: 01273 326 600
Opening Times
Monday - Saturday 8:30am–6pm
Sunday: 9am–5pm