The dining venue tonight was Anatolia’s in North Hobart. I had heard ages ago that they had a change of ownership or management, and I have been keen to eat there again to renew my acquaintance with Mediterranean food.
Four of us shared a standard banquet ($35 per person, minimum 2 people), which provided us with a typical cross-section of Turkish food.
We started with 4 separate dips, which came with turkish bread that was warmed and crispened beautifully, then moved on to a main course platter containing 4 of the following:
lamb cutlets, meatballs with natural yoghurt, chargrilled chicken kebabs, rice, cubed potatoes which absolutely kicked arse (don’t know how they had cooked them but they were spectacular), stuffed vine leaves, salad and some vego croquettes. To finish, we had baklava and Turkish coffee or Turkish apple tea.
The standard of the food was excellent and I can’t think of a meal I have enjoyed so much for ages – but then again the company might have had a lot to do with that! Four females. with every issue and problem in the world to dissect, equals a night where they probably could have served us up dog food and we would have been so engrossed in the topic under discussion we wouldn’t have noticed!
Anyway – suffice to say it was a cheap meal for the level of enjoyment and satisfaction gained.
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5 comments:
"kicked arse?"
I'm not familiar with that style of preparation. Is it French? kiqued ar-say?"
I've eaten there twice since it has changed hands, and both times I've come away quite disappointed. The food was unnecessarily greasy, the falafel rolls were dry tasteless, and the service was terrible.
Two of the wait staff were openly bullying another, and were bitching about him to us customers. When the two clocked off (leaving the bullied, but decidedly more professional one still on duty), they stood outside the shop poking faces and drinking beer.
Rebay - I'd prefer your words of wisdom on post-election feedback, rather than querying my franglais!
Lucy - that's what I have previously experienced there, to a degree, (minus the staff bitching) which is why I was agreeably surprised last night. There were only two staff members on duty in FOH, and considering it was a full house, they did an excellent job.
Have had a lot to do with Anatoles as I work in the English Language area and have helped Anatoles owners with the language levels of their chefs and even family members for a while. I have eaten there twice myself and had the banquet mentioned and loved it (the lamb chops, although I am not a regular red meat eater were so tender and more-sh) but was a little disheartended at the other time. I discovered that the matriarc of the family was away at that time and the food and service wasn't as high. She's back now and it seems the service is at high standards again. It goes to show you that a restuarant needs a strong guiding hand to keep it's FOH and kitchen staff on track. Too many times we overlook the role of the manager in controlling food quality and staff service but I think this is a time that I can see the place runs better with her around!
Yes Rebay, you beat me to it. I'm at a stage where eating something which kicks your bottom is to be avoided.
(Sorry Rita).
But were they any good?
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