As the new year dawns, residents and merchants of Garden City alike have been burning the midnight oil drafting letters to their Village officials asking them what's going to be done to help Franklin Avenue and fill the vacancies along the street known as the Fifth Avenue of Long Island. Mayor Tauches and the Board of Trustees have stated that the Streetscape Beautification work will begin in the spring and be completed by summer's end, and all agree that this will help bring a new Renaissance to the Avenue. Some merchants, working hard each day in their shops, offices, and restaurants along Franklin Avenue have pointed out that they have already begun constructing the path to the new Franklin Avenue through the quality of business they conduct each day. With this in mind, Garden City Life will endeavor to share with its readers, and the many letters to the editor authors questioning what is being done, profiles on the many bright spots to be found along Franklin Avenue.

One year and three months ago, Naim Celik, a chef who had formerly worked in Port Washington and Roslyn Heights at shish kebab hot spots, decided he wanted to open a restaurant of his own. In choosing the location for his new restaurant, he says he looked for a niche where his Mediterranean Restaurant would not only stand out, but find an audience receptive to the delicacies he had to offer. Golden Kebab opened at 919 Franklin Avenue and has since not only done well financially, but has recently received critical praise from Richard Jay Scholem in The New York Times' restaurant reviews.

Celik says of Golden Kebab's time on Franklin Avenue, "This is a good business area. The personnel in the offices and salespeople in the stores around here need food. The food is very good here and there is nothing like this kind of food anywhere else around Garden City." He adds that while some people may feel hesitant at first in trying food they might see as too exotic for their palates, he says, "People come in and try it and see the menu has all kinds of food. We've gotten a really good response here in Garden City because it is different. There's also take-out available, which makes it really convenient" and it gives some people who might be shy trying new food in the restaurant a chance to sample various dishes in their own homes.

As well as finding an appreciative audience among Garden City residents and those who work in the Village, Celik says he's found that the restaurant has drawn "a lot of people from outside of Garden City. They come from all over. We've gained a good reputation in Nassau County for our food. Everything is homemade. Another thing is we are reasonable with our prices. One money-saving thing we do is that we're B.Y.O. [bring your own] on alcohol, so people can save money that way."

Celik adds that he's very happy that the Village is planning to beautify Franklin Avenue, and says that he is hoping to do some work of his own. "I'd like to remodel the whole place," he commented. The current decor is modest, but nice with Turkish carpets and knickknacks around. He adds, "I'd like to get someone in to design the whole front with a new awning and the inside. I'll have to of course get approval from the Architectural Design and Review Board and work with them and the Planning Commission for any work, but I would like to make the place even better."

When it comes to the food, Celik says that he is proud to be the chef in his own restaurant and that he is pleased to bring his Turkish fare to the heart of Nassau County in Garden City. The menu features familiar favorites for the less adventurous with hamburgers, frankfurters, and pita grilled cheese. For those willing to explore Turkey via their taste buds, the restaurant offers delicious Mediterranean favorites like mousakka, filet mignon kebab, chicken gyro dinner, flounder marmaris, salmon steak kebab, and swordfish kebab. For the vegetarians in the group there's a felafel dinner, appetizers like cheese pie, spinach pie, humus (blended chick peas and herbs), tabuleh (cracked wheat and herbs), scordalia (cold mashed potatoes and herbs), dolma (homemade grape leaves stuffed with rice, olive oil, and herbs), eggplant salad, saganaki (baked mozzarella cheese with tomatoes in a casserole), and spicy tomatoes, as well as sandwiches like babaganosh, feta, or felafel.

All of Celik's desserts are very popular he noted. Baklava, galaktaburiko (custard baked in phillo dough with honey syrup), sarayli (buttery philo dough filled with walnuts and honey syrup), kadaif (shredded wheat dough with walnuts and honey syrup), and rice pudding make every meal end happily.

With business doing well from the start and actually picking up even more now with the New York Times review, Naim Celik says that not only is this a great sign for the Turkish restaurant business, himself as chef and entrepreneur, but for Franklin Avenue as more restaurants find their way back to the Fifth Avenue of Long Island. Celik says he sees the future of Franklin Avenue as not only bright, but varied in its diverse colorful offerings. Also, as for parking, patrons will find ample parking behind the restaurant. (The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, call 877-7301 or 877-7302 or fax 877-7303.)