FRIENDS and colleagues have raved about this restaurant ever since it opened so on a bitterly cold Friday night we made tracks for its welcoming lights and a toasty table by the radiator.
The aim was to eat first and then top the evening off by watching the new Star Wars movie at Vue cinema in the Kingfisher.
It was mezes for starters, a Humus of mashed chick peas with minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil and tahini and a Havac Tarator of fried carrots with garlic yogurt (both £3.50) mopped up by quarters of Turkish bread.
Both were delicious, with the Havac Tarator proving a particular favourite.
For mains we had Chicken Bayti – spiced minced chicken with garlic and herbs, served with rice and salad (£10.50) and Lamb Biftek – marinated lion lamb cooked on a grill, served with grilled vegetables, rice and salad (£12).
Our eyes nearly popped out at the hearty size of the portions and with the bread replenished, we tucked in.
The subtly spiced chicken dish was a dream to eat, while the lamb disappeared rather quickly too.
What was noteworthy was how easy these dishes were on the palate, and with the accompaniments of salad, rice and vegetables, perfectly balanced.
For drinks we enjoyed a bottle of Efes Turkish beer (£2.50) and two cups of Turkish tea (£1 each) the total coming to a very respectable £33.50.
And with the Star Wars movie re-treading much the same plot as the original one, LD Deniz proved the real highlight of the evening.
Ross Crawford
