 David
Kupler (Y74), David Ballard (N28) and Alex Constantinou (N05)
are Call Sign’s restaurant reviewers. These DaC drivers and
their guests will visit restaurants periodically and give their
honest opinions. This month David visited the Tike by
Fenchurch St StationEATING OUT WITH CALL SIGN |
|
The
Turkish Tike Istanbul, Grill & Bar
must be one of the very best restaurants
that Call Sign has sent me to review! Situated in
Fenchurch Place next to the Taxi rank, the imposing glass
fronted Tike might suggest a cold minimalist atmosphere from the
outside - until you enter the premises, where a warm friendly
welcome is to be had. The ground floor has a modern bar with the dining area located on the first floor. We were escorted to our window table where ultra-comfortable seats would make our dining experience so enjoyable, that we were hesitant to leave at the end! The manager, Thomas, came to our table and spent some time discussing the wines and huge variety of dishes on offer. These included some very interesting authentic homemade Turkish and Mediterranean hot and cold starters - as one would expect in a Turkish eatery! The possible difference being that these were delicious! Jan chose the Cherkez Tavugu to start, this was a creamed chicken dip with walnuts while I went for the warm Pastirmali Houmus topped with sliced sausage. We devoured these with an unusual Turkish bread - somewhat similar to a small Pita - and accompanied it with a delicious fruity white wine. There was no rush to get into the main courses and we were content to relax as the restaurant filled with groups of people intent on eating their way through the generous menu in the beautifully decorated room with its ambient lighting. The Mixed Grill that we had selected, along with the Adana Kofte Kebab, arrived on a bed of delicate rice and was more than enough for two. We could have chosen a salad to go with the meats from the veggie section on the menu, but felt that there might be too much to eat. And we were right, seeing the table behind us with its 3 young diners choosing and attempting to engulf the 1 metre long kebab between them! Jan and I enjoyed every mouthful of the delicate lamb and chicken pieces in our grill; together with the fruity red wine Thomas recommended, it provided the perfect combination of tastes. I needed a little break from this feast and asked for a Turkish coffee. It arrived hot and bitter - the way I love it! Not that sweet porridgy stuff that so many Turkish restaurants often offer. The desserts were interesting. Jan went for a Chocolate Baklava, again made in-house, whilst I selected a White Mastica Ice Cream, flavoured somewhat similar to pine kernels. It was not just refreshing, but truly delicious. We finished an excellent meal with a Baileys on ice for Jan and a perfect Brandy for me. Up until the end of June, Tike is offering DaC drivers a 20% discount on the bill, with dishes ranging from around £3 for starters, £7.25 for ‘big plates’, plus various Zurna Wraps of Lamb and Chicken at under £6 - very good, tasty food all round and a far cry from the tired rotating greasy grey ‘elephant leg’ kebab shops elsewhere in London. We went on a Monday evening and had expected the Tike to be empty, but were surprised at the level of business there. By the time we left, we knew why it was so busy! The Tike Istanbul, Grill & Bar is at 5 Fenchurch Place, London EC3. Reservations: 0207 702 9965 and their website is at www.tikerestaurant.co.uk. And don’t forget, there is a 20% discount for DaC drivers until the end of June... David Kupler (Y74) |
 |
Powered by NetXPosure |
| Copyright 1997-2010 Dial-A-Cab Ltd, All rights reserved. |