One of Columbia's most unique food trucks is coming to its own restaurant space this week.
Dada Doner, which specializes in Turkish street food, will open a brick-and-mortar location at 1201 E. Broadway on Monday. The restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to its Facebook page.
Launched last year by Vahap Ulker and his team, the truck focuses on simple menus with simple ingredients, all born from a desire to foster joy and community around food. .
Read more: Colombian Turkish food truck Dada Doner is a story made from scratch
The centerpiece of the truck's menu is chicken doner, which is cooked on a vertical rotisserie and served wrapped, on a sandwich or as part of a plate with rice and salad.
Ãœlker told the Tribune last year that the dish's origins date back centuries to the Turkish city of Bursa, and it invites comparisons with similar dishes in other countries, such as Mexican al pastor, Greek gyros or shawarma.
Ulker said in an email this week that the restaurant will also be adding lamb and beef doners to the menu. The space will also offer sigköfte, which he describes as “a vegan meatball wrap made with bulgur wheat and pomegranate molasses.”
Mr. Ulker's management team has also spent time and attention developing a variety of yogurt-based sauces to complement the meat, including white sauce, curry sauce, and a spicy option featuring Turkish chili peppers.
In addition to the restaurant, which will be open six days a week, the Dada Döner truck will also continue to serve customers. For more information about the truck, restaurant, and future developments, visit our Facebook page.
Aarik Danielsen is the Tribune's features and culture editor. Contact adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or call 573-815-1731. He is on his Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.