To Korkut Colakoglu and Hakan Sezgun, the tulip is more than a flower and a symbol of their native Turkey; it's a budding space for a soon-to-be restaurant in the Third Ward.

If all goes as planned, Tulip, 117 N. Jefferson St., will open as Milwaukee's first major Turkish restaurant in January.

For owner Colakoglu and Chef Sezgun, the path to Tulip and Milwaukee came through General Electric where their wives both work.

"I came here (most recently) after living in Germany," says Sezgun. "I like the Third Ward and Downtown. It's much more European with the shops, some cafes and old architecture. I love the nature of Milwaukee and the fresh weather, not the cold weather."

Colakoglu, who owns the House of Stone on St. Paul Avenue, grew up in Istanbul.

"I hated the traffic and the commotion, but I still love it there going back for vacations. But day-to-day I like it here," he says.

Colakoglu came to Wisconsin to go to college in Madison and stayed for business opportunities. A structural engineer, his decision to move to Milwaukee was easy.

"It's small, but yet you have every aspect of what you could look for in a big, metropolitan city. If you want to go see an opera, you can go see an opera. If you want to have a great time Downtown, you don't have to hassle with traffic. And to be honest with you, I travel around the world quite a bit, and people in Milwaukee are just extremely friendly -- that's why I married a Milwaukee girl."

The former president of the Turkish American Association, Colakoglu worked in Turkish restaurants in Madison and has heard from friends and the community that there's a need from Turkish cuisine in Milwaukee.

"Everybody was pushing me to do it," he says. "Food is passion and in Turkish culture when you get together to eat it's not just food, it's a very social environment. You start with appetizers, start entertaining and slowly move to the main course. We want people to be able to experience Turkish culture, not only the food (when they eat here). The opportunity is right and the location is one that we couldn't pass on."

So, what can Milwaukee diners expect from a Turkish kitchen? Many "famous dishes," according to Sezgun. "Kebab" is typical category of food, which is basically a variety of grilled and roasted meats. Doneer Kebab (grilled lamb sliced thin over rice) is quite popular and of course the dessert baklava is a sweet pastry favorite.

"As for the term shish kebab -- shish is a Turkish term meaning skewer and kebab is something cooked over charcoal like chicken, lamb or beef," says Colakoglu.

Rice pudding, baklava and other desserts will dominate after dinner or lunch. "All with unique twists," says Colakoglu.

"We are creating old, traditional Turkish cuisine in a modern presentation. We are creating a sociable place," he adds.

So why the name Tulip?

"Tulip is actually an original Turkish flower, but everybody knows it from Holland. It is a symbol of Istanbul. The flower itself is almost like our national identity. In the early 1600s when the Dutch were doing business with the Ottoman Empire they really loved the flower and took it over, adapted it and made it better. Now the world knows it as a flower from Holland."

But Tulip's owners wanted to use the name for its tradition and beauty. We didn't just want to come up with a Turkish name. The era of garden parties in Turkey were dominated by tulips and in Turkish art work -- plates, vases and tiles -- turquoise and tulips are dominant. It's simple, easy to remember yet something from our culture," said Colakoglu.

The architectural and structural engineering firm of Michael A. Corrigan is designing the 158-seat space that includes a fireplace.

"We are really doing this for the passion," says Colakoglu.