It was a cheeky girls night, and we were after something delicious that wasn’t overly expensive. I had actually never had Marmara on my radar, however was so glad one of the girls recommended it! Turkish food usually isn’t on the top of my list when looking for somewhere to dine, however will now think twice on this yummy cuisine.
ATMOSPHERE & SERVICE
Located along the Windsor end of Chapel Street, this restaurant’s curb appeal leaves much to the imagination. However after walking through the front door, I was surprised at how big the space was. There is a cosy little front section with only a hand full of tables, plus a larger dining area behind the beautiful bar.
Stunning traditional lighting hung from the ceiling and dark purple hues fill the space, creating an exotic yet chic Turkish atmosphere. Unfortunately I didn’t get any photos of the interior of the space, which is a great excuse to go back!
The service was warm and welcoming from the moment we walked through the front door. Our waitress gave us some great recommendations on what to order to ensure we had enough of a variety without over ordering.
FOOD
The food here is designed to share, which I love since I get a try a variety of different dishes! We started with the ‘Selection of Mixed Dips’ which included chickpea, eggplant, carrot & cucumber, served with warm Turkish bread. All of the dips were amazing, and really couldn’t pick a favourite! The bread on its own was delicious, and loved that they replenished the bread so we could finish all the dips.
Next was the ‘Char-grilled Halloumi’ which was lightly salted, and served with rocket salad, crushed walnuts and a sweet pomegranate vinaigrette. The slight saltiness from the halloumi paired with the bitterness from the rocket, created a wonderful balance to the dish.
For the larger dishes, we ordered the ‘Chicken Pidé’ which is similar to a calzone pizza with tomato salcha sauce, charred chicken öllets, mushrooms, garlic & pesto and mozzarella cheese. Such a great dish! The bread with thin and fluffy and just the right amount of ingredients added without being too much.
Last out was the ‘Skewered Lamb Fillets’ which were marinated overnight & char-grilled, served with garden salad & bulgur (cracked wheat) rice. Although I’m not the biggest lover of lamb, this was a fantastic dish. The meat was super tender from being marinated overnight, falling apart with ease, and the flavours were fantastic.
Overall a great find by the girls! The food was delicious, the service was fantastic and the food was reasonably priced. We will definitely be heading back again to check out a few more dishes!