Cuisine, CukurovaHannah GreerJuly 24, 2019Comment

Onur Sef

Cuisine, CukurovaHannah GreerJuly 24, 2019Comment

Hamburger and Fries. A beloved American meal that is served up at most summer backyard barbecues and capitalized on by fast-food chains all across the world. Anyone wanting this taste of America should go to the home of Adana’s best hamburger, no, it’s not McDonald's or Burger King, it’s Onur Sef.

One sunny afternoon in Adana a couple of friends and I were invited to this restaurant. We were welcomed into the kitchen to watch the head chef and owner Onur make his most popular dish, his specialty, the double cheeseburger.

He began by placing two patties of locally sourced meat on the grill. The sizzling of the meat and smoke rising made my mouth begin to water as the patty cooked and its smell filled the room. Then a bright yellow cheddar sauce was spread on both pieces of the toasted, buttered bun. On top of that, he placed caramelized onions. The patties were flipped, finished grilling, and placed on the bun. The finishing touch came as he cut the burger in half and placed the two pieces back on the grill for the inside to create a perfect char and all the parts to melt together.

After watching the masterpiece come together our stomachs grumbled begging to be filled by whatever smelled so good. I took a bite. It was everything I want in a cheeseburger. The meat was juicy with a salty, rich flavor that was present but not overwhelming. Cheesy goodness and sweet onion added balance to the warm, delicious bite. And it was all sandwiched between two pieces of crunchy, beautifully buttered bread, just how a hamburger bun should be. It melted in my mouth, in the best way. It didn’t matter how full I was, it tasted so good I wanted to eat every last bite. The meal also came with a refreshing salad for the table.

If anyone is questioning my ability to judge a good hamburger I was once chosen, along with two others, to eat five hamburgers in one day to judge the best hamburger in Manhattan, Kansas. If that’s not enough I’ve been eating them all my life. If that still isn’t enough credentials for you, then you should just come and try it for yourself.

The man behind this delicious burger is Onur Akbas. He is an Adana native who went to Istanbul and worked in restaurants where he learned the secrets to making a good burger. In 2015 he competed in a cooking competition TV program called, "Ver Firina." He honed his skills and brought them back to Adana to open his own place.

The restaurant Onur Sef, translated to Chef Onur, was opened in 2016 on Turgut Ozal Boulevard. It has a modern interior design with cool wooden tables and art on the textured wall painted gold and silver to look metallic. It has an open feel as a portion of the walls of the restaurant are more like windows that are open for the breeze to flow in.

It’s a cool place with great burgers, you can even get one that is covered in melted cheese. There are also other dishes that I have yet to try but if they're anywhere near as good as the burger they are worth it. If you find yourself in Adana craving a burger you should come to Onur Sef.