Great Turkish Food in Bournemouth

Going out for food on a Monday evening is a bit of treat so after going through the usual options I remembered a place I had been for lunch on Old Christchurch Road in Bournemouth. Basically somewhere not too expensive but delivering good food and service.

So after we found ourselves at the Saray Turkish Restaurant very hungry and ready for a good feed.

We were warmly greeted when we came in and the waitress was very good throughout our meal.

So with eyes to big for our tummies we ordered starters of grilled halloumi cheese and calamari. The food was served with a warm basket of lovely Turkish bread coated with sesame seeds. The calamari were served piping hot and crispy and the halloumi nice and salty and chewy. If you have never tried grilled halloumi it is a goats cheese which grills well without melting. It works great on a BBQ and is a great idea for vegetarian guests say as part of a vegetarian kebab.


Mel was driving so I got to have a glass of raki (similar to ouzo or pernod) with my starter, which worked really well with the salty halloumi. 
The drink arrives clear and if you add ice and water goes cloudy.

For our main course we both went for kebas which come with perfectly cooked rice and a fresh chopped salad. You really don't need to order any sides but they are on offer. I opted for the mixed which had lamb, chicken and lamb kofte (minced spiced lamb). Mel went for the chicken kebab but as soon as she saw mine some lamb kofte was immediately handed over.

I have mentioned before that I have found kebabs in the part of the world a little disappointing. There was a brief moment of light here in one of my previous posts, but they closed. That is not to say that kebab shops elsewhere are all universally wonderful, but for something so simple well seasoned grilled meat (preferably over charcoal) served with a fresh chopped salad, some fresh warm Turkish bread and a decent chilli sauce on the side this seems very often to be quite difficult.

Both of our kebabs were perfectly cooked and still juicy with a nice spice.

Just as I was thinking this is really yummy and all it needs is a good chilli sauce our mind reading waitress deposited a bowl beside me, perfect.



To drink I had a glass of Turkish beer and having just had a small raki, was feeling very pleasant.

To finish the meal we were given a free glass of tea. I've been laying off sugar in tea and coffee recently but for me it was better for sugar and a great end to the meal.

Deserts were on offer but by this point we were both very satisfied.

So how much was all of this. £37 including drinks. A very good deal and we will be back on a regularly.

I just took a look at their website and they have belly dancing on Friday and Saturday - brilliant!

Although desert was skipped still enjoying the Turkish vibe we had a craving for a stringy version of halva a middle eastern sweet made from sugar and sesame, so we headed to Charminster the place to go for great food from around the world and ingredients.

I found exactly what we wanted from the International shop in Charminster and it turns out it is called Floss Halva. The box is shown left. Very good and would go well with a Turkish tea or coffee.


208 Old Christchurch Road,
Bournemouth,
DORSET.     
01202 299 082
http://www.sarayrestaurant.co.uk/

international food centre
98-102 Charminster Rd, 
Bournemouth, 
Dorset BH8 8US

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