Europe's first restaurant specialising in unlimited Turkish breakfasts opens on the Costa del Sol

Their entrepreneurial spirit led them to set up businesses from a very young age in their home country - Iran. From there, they moved to the Arab Emirates at the start of the century, but their latest project is in Spain - in Estepona, where they opened the first restaurant on the Costa del Sol specialising in unlimited Turkish breakfasts, gozleme and mezze deals and an evening menu that introduces Spain to traditional Turkish food.

The entrepreneurs behind the project are twin sisters Salmeh and Sarah Moravvej, born in Iran in the 1970s. They share the same passion for many things: from their higher education in graphic art, interior design and photography to their careers in professional volleyball. They borrow their business spirit from their father, while their mother has contributed to the way they view the world with her open-minded approach.

The sisters spent last week welcoming customers to their new restaurant in Estepona - Bazlama, located on Calle Isla Verde. Although they are not the founders of the Bazlama brand, they plan on leading its expansion in Spain, with future restaurants in Malaga, Valencia, Madrid and Barcelona.

Their first encounter with Bazlama was seven years ago, in Istanbul. They were "fascinated by the large number of people who had breakfast in their restaurants every day and the quality of the food". The brand is also famous for "spreading the Mediterranean culture of family, friendliness and welcoming everyone".

The new establishment in Estepona is bright, spacious, colourful, with a large terrace in the brand's signature colours - turquoise blue and bougainvillea pink. The Turkish eye, which is the country's traditional amulet against negative energy, can be seen in every corner. "Our aim is to offer a relaxed atmosphere, where customers can eat without haste and enjoy every bite with family and friends," the sisters say.

Initially, the idea was to open Bazlama in Dubai, where Sarah used to live, but the project did not take off. Instead they chose Spain, where Salmeh has been living for 12 years. "We like working together," said the two sisters, whose collaboration has proven to be successful.

The power of two

The care with which the restaurant has been set up is also reflected in the training of its staff - a total of 19 people. A chef and his team came all the way from Turkey to teach them Bazlama's original philosophy.

"The quality of the food is higher here in Spain, because we have local suppliers for absolutely everything. There is a lot of preparation beforehand and we also make the bread here," said Salmeh and Sarah. To demonstrate just how carefully everything is chosen, they present their 37 types of homemade jams, available depending on the season.

In addition, they have adapted the restaurant's opening hours to Spanish culture, as in Turkey and the Emirates Bazlama restaurants close at 5pm. "Although we are all Mediterranean, Spanish culture is also about dining out and sharing those moments with family and friends," they say.

In addition to the Spanish expansion plans, Bazlama is also launching in London very soon.