Clay Pot & Casserole Dishes in Side — Slow-Cooked Comfort | Hawaii Restaurant

There's a particular kind of dinner that rewards patience — the one that arrives at the table still bubbling, lid barely lifted, steam carrying the smell of onions and slow-braised meat across the whole table. In Side old town, that's the world of the clay pot and the casserole: dishes that don't rush, don't cut corners, and taste like someone actually stood over them. At Hawaii Restaurant & Bar on 512. Sk., we've been serving this comfort-food family since 2000, and it remains one of the most satisfying ways to eat here after a long day at the beach.

What makes clay-pot and casserole cooking special

The magic is in the method, not a trick. A casserole (in Turkish, güveç) traps everything — meat or seafood, vegetables, the cooking juices — in one vessel so nothing escapes. Flavours concentrate instead of thinning out, the sauce clings, and even leaner cuts turn tender. Clay and thick-walled pots hold heat gently and evenly, which is exactly what slow-cooked food wants. The result is deeper, rounder and more forgiving than anything blasted over high heat in a hurry.

It also pairs beautifully with the way we cook everything else. Hawaii runs on a real wood fire and charcoal grill, so the kitchen already lives and breathes slow, honest heat — the casseroles are a natural extension of that. If you're weighing a grilled plate against a bubbling pot, know that both come from the same unhurried philosophy.

The Testi kebab — dinner with a bit of theatre

The showpiece of the clay-pot family is the Testi kebab, served for two. Testi means "clay jug", and that's the whole idea: the dish is cooked and sealed inside a pot, then brought to your table to be opened in front of you. It's the sort of thing that turns a normal dinner into a small event — perfect for couples, for a shared plate you talk about afterward, and especially for a celebration. We host group dinners and birthdays, and the Testi's tableside opening is exactly the kind of moment that makes a table lean in and reach for their phones.

If you want the deep dive on this one dish alone — the origins, why it's cooked the way it is, and how to order it — we've written a dedicated Testi kebab in Side guide. This page is the wider view: the Testi is the star, but it's far from the only pot on our menu.

The full casserole line-up at Hawaii

Beyond the Testi, the slow-cooked family stretches across the menu. Under our Turkish Specialities you'll find:

• Chicken casserole — a gentler, family-friendly entry into the güveç world, tender chicken cooked down with its vegetables and juices.
• Lamb casserole — richer and more robust, the cut that benefits most from long, slow cooking.

Prefer something from the sea? The casserole treatment works just as well with shellfish:

• Calamari casserole — squid braised in sauce rather than fried, so it stays soft and soaks up flavour.
• Shrimps casserole — plump shrimp in a bubbling pot, one of the coziest picks on the seafood side of the menu.

Fancy fish more broadly? Our grilled fish guide covers the sea bass, bream and trout options too.

A pot for the vegetarians

You don't need meat to enjoy this style of cooking. Our Vegetarian pot brings the same slow, comforting treatment to vegetables, and there's a Vegetarian curry alongside it for anyone who wants warmth and spice without the grill. It's a real dish in its own right, not an afterthought — see our vegetarian and veggie food guide for the wider meat-free menu.

How to order — and a note on honesty

A couple of practical tips. The Testi kebab is a two-person dish, so it's built for sharing — order it as your table's centrepiece rather than a solo plate. The chicken, lamb and seafood casseroles work as individual mains. For amounts and what's currently on, just check the live menu or ask your waiter; we won't quote prices we can't stand behind.

If you have a dietary need — simpler grilled or plainer plates, or a question about ingredients — tell your waiter. The kitchen advises honestly about what fits and what doesn't, rather than promising something it can't deliver. And a fair note: some kebab and casserole styles you might have read about elsewhere aren't on our menu, so we'll always point you to what we actually cook rather than pretend. For the bigger picture of Turkish dining here, our best Turkish restaurant in Side overview and the Turkish kebab atlas are good companions.

Come and open a pot with us

We're in the heart of Side old town, open daily from 10:00 to 02:00, year-round. Slow-cooked food deserves a table you don't have to rush from — and if you're planning the Testi for a birthday or a group, a little notice helps us set it up properly. Reserve your table at /reservation/ or message us on WhatsApp at +90 533 930 12 83, and we'll have a pot waiting.