ACTIVE LOCAL Sportsman's dinner
Zada, Stamford Will and Matt suffer from expanded waistlines after enjoying a delicious Turkish meal Will This restaurant made a bit of a splash in October last year when, less than a year after opening, it got a mention in the Michelin Guide. That’s quite an accomplishment and, while it’s not in the same league as receiving a Michelin star, it certainly turns heads, so I’m looking forward to finding out what it’s all about.
aubergine, yoghurt, tahini, garlic and olive oil. The smokiness really came through and, with the breads, it’s an extremely warm and comforting dish.
Matt Me too, and it was a warm welcome from the manager, Iva. First impressions are vital and you can’t beat a big smile and a little bit of well-judged guidance on the menu. It’s a fine line because sometimes it can be too intrusive, but Iva and her team seem to have it just right. They waited for us to have a look at the menu ourselves and then offered a little bit of advice.
Matt I’m not going to argue with that, but it was also an excellent hummus and the Turk borek is very special too. It’s deep fried feta cheese, filo pastry and parsley, and if you don’t like that then I feel sorry for you! With sucuk (grilled Turkish beef sausage), hellim (halloumi) and falafel it would be hard to find a better mixed starter. I’m glad I had my chicken and broccoli for lunch otherwise I might be full already. But you could easily just pop in to enjoy this starter if you both just wanted a light snack.
Will First impressions are very important, as is consistently good service right through a meal and, as you say Matt, there is nothing to complain about here. Anyway, I’m glad we all agreed on the hot and cold mixed meze starter for two (£14.95). The homemade breads were tremendous and if you forced me to choose my favourite other part of the starter I would have to say the babaganush, and not just because I like the name! It’s a mixture of smoked
Will You could, Matt, but I’m pleased to say that’s not on the agenda this evening! It was a superb starter but I was out walking the dogs for an hour and a half beforehand to make sure I was ready to enjoy everything on offer. And I am glad I did. Because, as Iva recommended, I opted for the Yavash meat platter (£17.95) and it really is something else. It’s a combination of chicken shish, lamb shish, lamb chop and adana kofte (minced lamb kebab) and the two shish
components are delivered to the table on upright kebab skewers in a serving stand, with the rest of the dish in bowls beneath. The homemade chilli sauce and garlic sauce help bring all the meat together with the soft rice to make a superb course. I told you I had worked up a good appetite. A bottle of very quaffable Efes Turkish beer is going down well with the meal too. Matt Your dish certainly did look stunning but I am not suffering from food envy because, again on Iva’s recommendation, my choice of kuzu sach (£14.95) from the special menu was excellent. It’s charcoal grilled lamb and grilled vegetables with melted cheese and all served in a sizzling metal dish. Everything about it was right including the rice and the sauces. That chilli sauce has got a genuine kick but it works perfectly with all the other ingredients. I can see how they got a mention in the Michelin Guide and look forward to visiting again.
Zada
13 St Mary's Hill, Stamford, PE9 2DP 01780 766848 www.zadarestaurant.co.uk
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24/03/2017 14:15