I know it's meant to be enticing. But the scent of roasting meat on a stick — a staple ingredient of the Turkish street-food doner kebab, found in many popular Tokyo neighborhoods — is enough to have me crossing the street just to avoid the wafting smell, or else holding my breath as I walk by the friendly vendor.
I lament the fact that I have become accustomed to react this way, and certainly don't wish to offend anyone's tastes, but I know Turkish food is so much more than doner kebabs. So I set out to remind myself of this the other day in Tokyo's Shimokitazawa neighborhood.
With a history that traces far back into the Ottoman Empire, Turkish cuisine is full of rich Mediterranean and near-East spices such as cumin, mint, oregano and sesame, and though dishes vary by region across Turkey, they all make good use of olive oil and vegetables such as eggplant, peppers and tomatoes.