Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival

My family had a great experience here.

I find this place quite amazing. Have been there couple of times. The staff are very helpful and friendly. Nice place to choose a gift for your loved ones and yourself. Hand crafted and very authentic products. You can find different items that you can’t find at any other places. Hand made shoes, copper coffee sets, tea glasses, mother of pearl jewelery boxes. I bought a hand crafted copper serving tray. It’s not perfect just for serving also looks very decorative in my cabinet :)

Culture, history and food. I think this covers 90% of Turkey. Whoever plans going to Turkey must see this event even if they are far away. Next year the festival will be in New York.

Good festival. The representations are nice and informative if you have time to read them all. The food provided was decent. I tried the Turkish sticky ice cream (which was the longest line in the whole festival), only to be disappointed. I guess I’m not a fan of Turkish sticky ice cream.
I really wish I had gone when there was a show going on, but unfortunately I missed all the good shows.

First time to this festival and loved it for the food alone. Where else can I get Doner, Manti, Turkish coffee, and Turkish ice cream together in my area (granted only once a year)? We went after 7pm on Saturday and there were zero crowds (other than the ice cream line)!!

Lots of fun! The festival was very well laid out, spacious without feeling empty, and you didn’t feel like you’re crammed into a can like you do when you come to the OC fair. I saw some amazing stuff like Ebru? (water marbling) art, and someone carving marble! Amazing! I also got to try Turkish sticky ice cream, which is AMAZING. Super dense and definitely sticky! It was so good and totally worth the long wait. They had all kinds of food too, I just wished I had room in me to try everything! I did buy some sweet dumplings and baklava to take home, and try some Turkish coffee and borek while I was there as well. Everyone was super friendly and overall I had a marvelous time!

Great experience ! Great way to spend a day trying a lot of Turkish food! Watching traditional Turkish dances. It is like a journey to Turkey in OC fairgrounds. I would recommend everyone.

Honeybuns and I came to this festival and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We really appreciated all the effort the organizers went to. The gates of civilizations that you walk thru was not only educational, but it was well done. You get a sense of what the architecture and people’s dress changes as time goes by. The people who dress up did a good job with the costumes. I didn’t mind that people were stopping to read and take photos.
Once thru, we ended up in the bazaar area, and walked thru everything. There were many sets that replicated famous areas of Anatolia (not just Turkey!). These were quite good looking and I was impressed with the quality of the sets. So good that no matter which direction you are taking the pictures, if you crop it properly, it looks like you are there!
There were many people dressed up. We saw Roman legions, Seljuk people, so many costumed people playing music and dancing. Lots of reference photos!
What did we eat? Because of gluten-​free, anything baked was off limits, including the lamajun (the turkish pizza), the katmer (sweet pistachio breakfast pastry), the manti (beef dumplings in yogurt sauce), the baklava (I counted at least 6 varieties), the boreks (pastry with cheese, meat, or spinach), etc. I was pretty bummed. The soups also have wheat flour in them and so did the desserts.
Our favorites:
— — — — — — — — — — — — -
Kokorec — as seen on Andrew Zimmern’s bizarre foods — this was lamb on a spit with lamb intestines wrapped around it. This was served chopped up with spices on top (we just left the bread aside). This was SOOOO GOOOOD that we went back and got a 2^nd plate! There was NO BAD GAMY smell at all, tasted just like fresh seasoned meat and this is the BEST lamb we’ve tasted. They really know how to cook lamb.
filet mignon kebab skewers — small skewers of tender filet mignon and juicy
Turkish coffee — thick, medium sweet and served in demitasse cups.
the carrot salad — rich and creamy
stuffed grape leaves
stuffed peppers
sis kebab — lamb kebabs
the Turkish ice cream — great but long line no matter what time of day. The ice cream is made with gum arabic, which is why it had that «sticky» texture and it doesn’t melt easily. No wonder the guy used a flat shovel thing to scoop and it looked like hard work.
not so great
— — — — — — — — — — -
gyros plate — these were a bit dry and needed yogurt or tahini
doner kebab — this was dry as well. I don’t get it, it was freshly shaved off the spit, it should be super juicy but wasn’t
lots of stalls selling kebabs, gyros, shawarma. Plenty of seatings, but at peak mealtimes still difficult to secure seats. There was folk dances on the stage, and had a Turkish pop music sung by Turkish pop star. Other dressed costumers danced to drums for the sultan. Interesting entertainment.
The painter İsmet Yedikardeş was actually there in person! His works lined the walls of the city of Mardin exhibit area. I’d love to talk to him, but he doesn’t speak English and we dont’ speak Turkish. Interesting art works.
In the bazaar area, we saw Turkey craftsmen who came in from Turkey just for the festival. There was the calligrapher who was writing on the plates, the artisan who chiseled the metalwork, the shoemaker making handmade shoes, artist who was painting the jewelry, artist who painted the plates, and so on. It was great to see how people hand-​make these things which we don’t see much anymore.
We had a great time. Looking forward to next year!

I had a great time during the last festival. I am looking forward to this one. Great food and lots of fun

The costumes and sets were nice. A lot of hot chicks and facial hair (facial hair on the guys, not girls thank goodness).
Food choices were great but unfortunately, the gyro and donner places had to pre-​shave the meats so my sandwich wasn’t the juiciest. I don’t know what it was called but that burrito thing was delicious!
Kidsland was ghetto. The rented bounce houses were so dirty, I had to disinfect the kid afterward.
All in all, it was a pretty good time. If I can get that groupon deal again, I’ll go next year.

My friend sent me an invite to this festival and was pretty curious about it. I’ve always been interested in other cultures and I figured this was a great way to see what Turkey’s all about. The big draw was the different kinds of food available. Let’s be honest, that’s the real reason I went. So I could be a fatty and try all the things I saw on No Reservations.
The festival itself was pretty cute in a corny way. Walking in, there were people dressed up in costumes welcoming us in. We went through Rome and Greece and a bunch of other places. They even had the Trojan Horse. A+ for really going the whole way with submerging visitors in the culture. They had replicas of other cities which were informative and educational.
As for the Bazaar, I was extremely disappointed by it. It was very lackluster. From the website, they made it sound like it was going to a real Bazaar but it was just a few stands selling knick knacks. I wanted more variety to buy useless things. Isn’t that what you go to a Bazaar for? They didn’t have anything interesting that I wanted to buy.
The coffee area was also a disappointment. It’s a place for you to sit and hangout and drink coffee but they were just serving coffee and bottled drinks. If you’re going to have a section like this, at least get a full barista and really make money off it.
The food was the real winner. Thank God! I would’ve been über disappointed if the food sucked too. They had lots of different stands selling everything from kabobs, sandwiches, pastries, small dishes, etc. I loved it! They had things I’ve never tried before like turkish ravioli, a yummy wrap filled with ground chicken and a tortilla filled with spinach and feta.

I did the Helicopter work on the festival and they paid us $ 500 and still owe us $ 1,400 its a shame that a man cant count on the word of his employer if you hire me you have to pay me thats the rule…

I came to the festival this year, which was 2011, just in case my post gets knocked back. It was a pretty fun and an interesting experience. There were a lot of venders selling a variety of interesting things… and it was just the right amount of ‘crowded-​ness’… but why does it get three stars? Let me explain.
I felt the food and the prices didnt really match up with what we were getting. A small cup of turkish coffee, which was good btw, was 5 dollars. But you can get a doner sandwich for 5 dollars as well… Or a bowl of Turkish ravioli for 3 dollars, but a small cup of orange juice was $ 5. It just didnt really make sense, and sometimes, really disappointing for the amount of money I spent.
My favorite dishes were the Turkish Ravioli and the ice cream. That was pretty fun, even though I had to wait a long ass time (long, meaning 40 mins) just for ice cream. The Ice cream maker jokes around with you, which is pretty entertaining, but I dont know if it’s worth standing under the hot sun for 40 mins. Also, their cheese cake was reallyyyy good, just tooooo sweet…
Overall the experience was okay… I dont know if I’d go back next year. I had to drive 50 miles just to get there. maybe if I were in the area i’d pay another 12 bux just to go see what’s up… maybe…

This event was the definition of «cluster fuck». Where does one even begin?
First off, is the entrance. You walk through a rather narrow walkway that’s filled with arches and historical information written on the walls. Problem is, everyone is stopping to take pictures and read the stuff. You can’t get through. Very claustrophobic, to say the least. And you have to battle back through, when you exit.
Next, the event is alcohol free. I think this is the ONLY event at the fairgrounds that is alcohol free. What fun is a festival, without a beer in your hand?
The WORST part of the entire festival are the lines. I have never witnessed a bigger disaster than that, in my entire life. We waited in line for 45 minutes at one food stand, and didn’t move an inch. I’m not saying we waited 45 minutes and got our food, I’m saying we got out of line after not moving for 45 minutes. I overheard that the ice cream line was an hour and a half. We did another line that wasn’t too bad, but then they told us it would take 20+ minutes to prepare the food. At a festival? Are you trying NOT to sell stuff?
What a mess, I would never attend this thing again. Left hungry and pissed off.

I am really impressed with this festival. They go to great lengths to recreate Turkey using props, costumes and entertainment. All of the workers are from the region. There is a lot of historical educational signage. The space is vast and they make good use of the area.
However, that brings me to one potential negative. All of the food is clustered in one area. There were enormously long lines for everything. It was over a 2 hour wait for a gyro at one of the stands. It is a shame because the food is authentic and downright delicious but the wait times and long lines were a turnoff.
I went a few times and tried many different things. Manti (Turkish dumpling pasta) was toothsome and addictive. The cheesy-​crunchy Konefe (sp?) dessert was delicious and craveworthy. The dondurma (sticky ice cream) was just OK and for the extra long wait and $ 4 pricetag not really worth it. The pastries (baklava and the like) were pricey at $ 4/​square as was the $ 5 fee for a demitasse cup of thick, strong Turkish coffee.
The staff and visitors I found to be extremely friendly and helpful. The glass jewelry maker was a bargain at $ 3 for a signature «eyeball» ring.

One of the most interesting festivals I’ve been to yet. This review is probably best seen in pictures, so you should check out the pics i posted of the festival!
GATES OF ANATOLIA
They built all the gates of Anatolia, and it was amazing to see characters from each era greeting you as well. Took a lot of pictures of the characters, and they are super nice.
Food was amazing at the festival.
LAHMAJOUN
Love the lemon infused meats in their food. The round breaded ones were delicious. Came with a yogurt dip that I devoured.
SOUPS: LENTIL and TARHANA[?]
The green lentil soup was disappointing. Tasted grainy and the beans were not very well pureed. Much better in Turkey.
The tarhana [sp?] was delicious. It was like a spicy minestrone, and we loved it.
GYROS /​SHAWARMA
The line for this was super long but worth the wait. Meat was tender and flavorful. Comes with a plate with fresh veggies and onion salad.
CHICKEN MEATBALLS
Sandwich with two pieces of chicken meatballs. The meat was flavorful and delicious. They are from a restaurant here in Orange County.
TURKISH RAVIOLI
Too filling for me, but it was pretty good. Pasta isn’t my thing, so I just wanted to try it. They use a cream sauce, and top it off with a red sauce on top.
RICE PUDDING
My favorite of all the things I had here. Simple rice pudding with cinnamon.
BAKLAVA /​PISTACHIO DESSERTS
The dessert stations were great. The baklava was quite good and fresh. The prices are a bit steep, but we shared a combo of 4 pieces for $ 5.
AYRAN
Turkish yogurt drink. They had it coming out of the fountain so that was quite interesting. Didn’t taste as good as in Turkey, but it was ok. Little too salty for me to finish the whole cup.
STICKY ICE CREAM
I regret not getting this. The line was INSANE and everyone was walking around with a cone.
WHIRLING DERVISHES
I really wanted to watch the performance, but they dragged on the performances for a good half hour, and I was freezing, so we left before the dervishes came out. Next year.

Best cultural festival I’ve ever been to. I’ve gone two years in a row and I just LOVE it! Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is top notch! A lot of work was put into making this a gorgeous event. The designs, music, performers, food, demonstrations, etc were all unbelievable!
The best part is the food! There is such a large variety of TURKISH food to choose from… all made by Turkish locals! I can’t tell you how many festivals I’ve been to where there wasn’t even traditional food for sale! Everything I ate here was delicious. On top of the list are the manti. Beautiful tiny dumplings filled with meat, boiled, slathered in a garlic-​yogurt sauce, and paprika butter (and dried mint or sumac to dust on top) OMG heaven!!!
Come hungry and with an open mind! :D

Çok iyi! One of my favorite things that I ate while I was in
Türkiye was these tiny little dumplings in a yoghurt sauce called manti… I have tried to find it in Los Angeles but every Turkish restaurant seems to have only döner kebaps and such… Well… I was thrilled to read on the website that they were making an entire TON of manti… This is going to be my annual go to festival to get my manti fix… Sooo much food… and great food… I thought I would come here grab something to eat and head out… I ended up eating every hour and stayed for almost 6 hours… I even ordered some uncooked mant to go so that I could have it later at home… and I ended up finishing it that day right after I got back… after having eaten 2 orders of it while at the festival… The last thing I ate here was the a yoghurt soup called yayla çorbasi which was so very delicious but HOT… and I mean burn the roof of your mouth, inside of your mouth, throat kind of hot… and it didn’t cool down one bit… even the last spoonful was piping hot… I love scorching soup and it was even too scorching for me… amazing… i think i’m still peeling off pieces of skin… but don’t worry… I’ll still get more next year…

I have been to many cultural festivals but this one tops all of them because it is not only a cultural festival with great food options but also a great educational activity for kids and adults with a lot of history.
My kids enjoyed it a lot last year. They did not want to leave the festival grounds for all 4 days. There is a nice section for kids as well.
I will be there all 4 days this year.

This was some festival. I ‘ve been to many before but this was in a class on its own. Quality and the taste of food at the festival was topnotch, so was the entertainment. Non stop fun from 10am until 10pm. A 4 day festival with a 2.5 million dollar budget. You can tell immediately tell that the money went to reproducing 5 of the historic cities of Turkiye as well as the 11 gates of civilization. I will be back next year for sure.