According to a recent article from Southport Corridor Chicago, what was previously Pescadero will now be Avaspi, located at 1258 W Belmont Ave.
“I’m currently filing for some licenses right now, and with that in mind, I’m aiming to open Avaspi in the next two or three months. Essentially, our goal is to be able to open our doors at the beginning of 2024,” owner Mehmet Duzgun told What Now Chicago.
“I’m very excited about opening Avapsi. It is a completely new concept, one that I have been wanting to do for some time now. It’s going to be something unique and different and is essentially Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Turkish food options. Anatolia is where modern-day Turkey is now located, hence the name. We will be doing a lot of what is best described as Middle Eastern-style Spanish tapas. Mezes, which are vegetarian dips and small salads, len, beef, chicken, and sweet breads will definitely be on the menu.”
“We’ve been renovating the place, with painting, and some fixing. It will be a different color on the outside, and inside the aesthetic is modern. I have customized furniture coming in that will all be coming from Turkey. Overall, the dining space aims to be an upscale place.”
“Anatolia dates back many centuries, with many ethnic groups living there and/or still do, so I am to be combining those cuisines from all ethnic groups in that region and customizing/representing this in an upscale restaurant. There will also be a unique list of wines, cocktails, and beers, and my hope is for people to come and try new things in a nice atmosphere. We definitely will have a different range of spices, cooking styles, etc.”
“I have always worked in restaurants and many restaurant places in Turkey, and since being in the first place that we own here in Chicago, over the years, I have created a few different restaurant cuisine ideas. This is one of the concepts I have always wanted to do. I will take a break from The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen, which I co-own, in the meantime,” Duzgun added.
