Restaurant review: Why you'll always find me in the (Turkish) Kitchen....

I have used it as a “quick” family lunch venue and apart from being blown away by the food, I have always found the service and atmosphere perfect, although admittedly it has always been fairly quiet.

And as restaurants go, it is very modern, attractive and comfortable.

So faced with a packed restaurant - including two large parties - on Sunday afternoon, I was interested to find out how it would stand up.

I needn’t have worried.

We were greeted quickly and shown to a table large enough for our needs, and there weren’t that many. My first grumble, it was a bit close to the door, and a bit draughty.

Drink orders were quickly taken, drinks delivered promptly and we ordered our food.

A huge basket of warm and very fresh complimentary bread (far too much) arrived with two fantastic dips, the chili one being pretty hot.

My only other grumble would be this: the vegetarian meze (£9.95) we ordered as a starter to share didn’t arrive until the main courses. That said, it did luckily accompany the mains very well.

I loved the baba ganoush, smoked aubergine mixed with garlic, olive oil and herbs, although it wasn’t as smoky as usual. The falafel were nice and crispy, the hellim warm and salty, the hummus rich and creamy, and the pick of the lot the sigara borek - hot flaky pastries filled with moorish feta cheese and parsley.

The big draw for me is the meat cooked over charcoals, there is just something about the chargrilled flavours it brings out, so the mixed grill (karisik izgara £12.95) was a no brainer. The chicken and lamb cubes off the skewers were soft and succulent; the chicken wings were tasty little nibbles and the kofte just a great texture and taste, although I would like a little more spice or seasoning; and I couldn’t resist picking up the lamb cutlet until it was stripped to the bone.

The tavuk shish - chicken off the skewer - was just as good across the table, and both mains came with rice and a nice fresh salad

I am already looking forward to the next visit.

VENUE: Turkish Kitchen, 34 New Road, Peterborough city centre, tel 01733 555167

www.myturkishkitchen.co.uk

BRAD’S RATING: 9

MENU:

From the Grill

Chargrilled minced lamb served with garlic yoghurt & tomato sauce £10.90

Pan-fried lamb liver, served with rice & salad £7.95

Succulent lamb ribs seasoned & chargrilled, with rice & salad £9.90

Succulent lamb cutlets & lamb ribs seasoned and chargrilled, served with rice & salad £10.90

Chargrilled seabass, with sautéed potatoes & asparagus £12.95

Marinated fried fresh calamari served with chips & tartar sauce £10.95

Pan fried king prawns with white wine, garlic, lemon butter & parsley served with mix vegetables £13.95

SPECIALS

Musakka - layers of minced lamb, aubergine, courgette & potatoes with cheese sauce £9.95

Small cubes of lamb, slowly cooked in a tomato sauce, mushroom, onions, garlic & peppers £9.95

Strips of chicken breast, slowly cooked in a tomato sauce, mushroom, onions, garlic & peppers £9.95

vegetarian

Aubergine wrapped with mixed vegetables, garlic, white wine, tomato sauce, topped with cheddar cheese, with rice £9.25

Buffalo mushroom with mixed vegetables, garlic, white wine, tomato sauce, topped with cheddar cheese, with rice £8.45