Printed in the August 2007 edition of ‘Compass’ magazine (Wessex edition)
Reproduced with permission.
Turkish Delight
Liz Kavanagh visits Guzel Meze Bar Bistro in Eastleigh
EASTLEIGH HAS A NEW ARRIVAL and it's attracting a lot of attention for all the right reasons. Hasan Yalvac opened Guzel Meze Bar Bistro in June as a Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant, transforming a dreary shop into a real haven. Born and bred in Turkey, where he learnt the secrets of Turkish cuisine as a student, Hasan made his name at the Whirling Dervish restaurant in Portswood before moving the business to its new home.
Inside, there’s now a polished wooden floor, traditional Turkish smoking pipes, beaten copper bowls and lavishly decorated tiles. Hand-painted plates and delicate glass lanterns hang from the walls while tables are decked out in traditional woven cloth.
On the night we visited, the place was bustling, with background Turkish music adding to the atmosphere. The menu at Guzel is substantial, with a wide selection of meze dishes as well as meat and vegetable kiln-baked casseroles and lamb and chicken grills. Many of the ingredients are specially shipped in from Turkey.
It’s very much a family affair, with Hasan’s son and daughter working regularly as front of house while he does his magic in the kitchen.
We opted for the set menu which at £18.95 offered a taste of both hot and cold meze as well as a mixed grill and a bottle of well priced house white. Ice-cold water came in a terracotta jug, which added a nice authentic touch, with a bowl of olives and warm pitta bread brought to the table for us to nibble on.
The starters were fantastic. The cold selection, well presented on a large terracotta plate, included tiny stuffed vine leaves, rich in herby, pine nuts and currants. There was humus and mixed pulses cooked in a lovely tomato sauce with just a hint of garlic, tangy feta cheese, silky smooth aubergine and spicy cheese dip. A hot selection followed: this included well seasoned kofte minced lamb balls, char-grilled sliced of spicy Turkish sausage, wafer-thin Turkish pastrami and grilled halloumi cheese.
This was seriously good food, with the chargrilled flavours of both meat and cheese adding to the subtle herbs and spices.
The main courses were equally impressive, with marinated lamb and chicken served straight from the grill on a bed of savoury rice. By this time my husband had decided that he would be taking the boys to Guzel the following week. Dave likes his meat and this was every carnivore’s dream.
Dessert was a simple platter of fresh fruit and tiny baklava squares with the sweetness of the filo pastry covered in nuts and honey complemented perfectly by orange segment, melons and grapes.
We declined coffee but left Guzel extremely impressed. It’s great to see an independent restaurant doing well and with so much love having obviously gone into both the food and the surroundings, Guzel makes for a very memorable night out.
Guzel Meze Bar Bistro
1c High Street
Eastleigh SO50 5LB
Telephone 02380 647996