Dines Out: Time for Turkey

I of course am joking, turkey is perhaps my least favourite kind of meat, conversely Turkish food is amongst my favourite cuisines. I was off to meet two of my favourite food loving friends Ms L and Mr B. Ms L and I wanted to introduce Mr B to Makara in Hove, as we are both fans.

Turkish food is in one sense rather simple and in another rather complex. It also satisfies two of my great loves, great cooking of meat and exciting cooking of vegetables. My friends of course did what friends so often do when the formula for the evening is sharing and insisted that I order. So whilst they chattered and hit the excellent Turkish whit wine, delicious and very affordable, I hit the menu and started to order. I decide that six starters shared and a very large mixed grill intended for two but shared by the three of us would be about right – and it was. Once you get to know this menu you will find the same.

We told the handsome waiter that we did not mind what order the food arrived in, and nibbled on the delicious flatbread and olives until the food started to arrive.

I’m not even going to try to get all of the names right as Turkish is not a language that I have embraced, but I will try to describe the dishes as accurately as possible. So here goes – first my favourite dish, imam bayildi (I think), a superbly cooked aubergine dish, baked with tomato and lots of garlic and served cold. I could eat this all night long, it’s creamy and soothing and simply divine. The minced lamb and walnut parcels are equally tasty and have that combination of oozy centre to a crispy outer that I always find attractive.

Lamb cutlets, ribs, minced kebab, cubed chicken and cubed lamb and a mountain of delicious chicken wings

Grilled halloumi cheese was squeakily satisfying and not too salty either, and eating it with sliced cold tomato was a pretty good balance. The filo parcels that I think are called borek were filled with spinach and cheese and Ms L declared these her favourites. I think we all rated the hummus which I chose in a combination with diced grilled lamb, sorry vegetarians, this is a good dish, and you can have the hummus on its own should you wish. My favourite is the aubergine but if I had to choose a second then it would go to the Turkish stuffed vine leaves which have that interesting deep and slightly bitter edge that here is balanced by amazingly thick yoghurt, really very yummy. Most of these dishes come in portions of four so we were all able to choose our favourite to have a second bit at.

The mixed grill which came next arrived in good time as did that second bottle of wine. It really is a feast of meat. There were lamb cutlets, lamb ribs, minced lamb kebab, cubed chicken and cubed lamb and a mountain of delicious chicken wings. I have in the past shared this platter with a friend and as it comes with very good rice and a huge salad, it is an amazing meal at a very sensible price. Pairing it up with six starters between three people it was exactly right and we all left feeling very satisfied. I missed having a thick sweet coffee as the others were being very abstemious, but I did indulge in the small baclava style sweetmeats that came free and how I loved that combination of cheese, honey, pistachio and crips pastry, a perfect end to a delightful evening. If I delete what we spent on wine, our food bill came to £25 each including a decent tip for what is always great service.

28 Church Rd, Hove, BN3 2FN
01273 748072, makararestaurant.com