Sabah Doksoz and Rain Sahutoglu didn’t know each other when they were growing up in the same town in the south of Turkey near the Mediterranean Sea. But when they met in the US, they became friends and business partners. They worked together to open Alem, the new Mediterranean/Turkish restaurant at 1900 Harrison Street in Downtown Hollywood, cooking up a sumptuous menu of gourmet delicacies from their homeland.
“In Turkish, ‘Alem’ means all good things,” explained Sahutoglu, who is also a professional musician. “Fun people, happiness, positive energy. That’s why we chose the name, and that’s why we chose Downtown Hollywood.”
At Alem, the focus is on healthy Mediterranean cuisine. Chef Resat Aydin, a celebrity chef in Turkey, puts together amazing combinations of foods from land and sea. Everything is made in-house from scratch, from the breads to the desserts, and presented beautifully.
“Our goal,” said Doksoz, a hospitality industry professional, “is to offer reasonably priced, really healthy and delicious Mediterranean cuisine, unique mixtures of flavors, and the most beautiful presentations. Our menu will be always evolving to include new, creative choices.”
Menu highlights at Alem include Babaganoush at $9; Mixed Seafood Kofte at $12; Chicken Shish, served with bulgur, roasted eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and yogurt at $18; Grilled Mediterranean Dorado, served with baked potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and arugula at $30.
Alem will have live music, often featuring friends of Sahutoglu from the music world, on weekend evenings.
Doksoz and Sahutoglu feel like they can’t lose at Alem, working together with the excellent team they have in place.
“We see each other like brothers. We trust each other no matter what,” said Sahutoglu.
Alem is open for dining and pick-up Monday through Thursday from 3 pm to 11 pm; Friday and Saturday from 3 pm to 1 am; and Sunday from 11 am to 11 pm.
