DAVID UNWIN/STUFF

Yummi Vietnamese restaurant on The Square has closed, but will reopen in two weeks as a Turkish diner.

A Palmerston North Vietnamese eatery is trading places with a new Turkish diner in a revival of a popular kebab spot.

Yummi owner Jiang Do spent two years planning his Vietnamese restaurant, which he hoped to grow into an authentic street food franchise.

So it was frustrating to be closing down eight months after finally opening on The Square, even if it was only temporary, he said.

The store will reopen in two weeks as Sila Turkish Kebab. Do will still be the owner, but it will be under new management.

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Meanwhile, he plans to reopen Yummi in a new location.

Do said Yummi struggled to match the site's popular reputation.

"Almost everyone who came in was asking for the kebab shop that was here for 22 years."

Yummi's premises used to be the site of Ali's Kebabs, until it moved around the corner to Fitzherbert Ave and rebranded as Turkish Delight – Ali's Kebab Cafe two years ago.

Yummi will reopen when Do can find a replacement chef.

Do arranged for a traditionally trained Vietnamese chef to come to New Zealand to keep Yummi's authentic flavour, but the new chef was held up by immigration, he said.

This left Do in a bind, until he made a deal with a Turkish chef, who used to be involved with Ali Kebabs, to change direction.

Mehmet Satilmis said he had been looking to open a Turkish restaurant, but had struggled to find a place in his price range.

"I've known Jiang for 10 years, so I went to him with an idea.

"This shop has a 22-year history with kebabs, so why not go back to that?"

Satilmis said the deal was that he would manage the new operation, Sila Turkish Kebab. Do would still own the store until Satilmis could raise enough money to buy it outright.

When it opens, Sila will employ four people and Satilmis hoped to hire more once the kebab shop was established.

 - Stuff