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Eat My Words: We review Zada in Stamford




With the Turkish restaurant Zada having celebrated its 10th anniversary last summer, I decided it really was time for me to give it a go.

And after finally paying a visit, it might just be my new favourite place to eat out.

From the service and the atmosphere to the decor and food, I really would struggle to name a fault, so why on Earth did I wait so long?

Zada offers stunning Turkish cuisine.
Zada offers stunning Turkish cuisine.

It seems everyone else already knew how much of a gem this place is. Having booked an early slot on what I thought would be a quiet night of the week, I was surprised to find the restaurant was full, so I definitely recommend booking.

Nestled away on St Mary’s Street in Stamford, Zada is a quirky little building which is beautifully decorated with nods to the Turkish heritage. Traditional clothing hangs from the walls and the coloured lamps are just stunning to look at.

The staff were quick to show us to our table and we had soon chosen dishes from the set menu - a selection of hot and cold starters, a mixed shish and a kofta iskender. I chose a glass of house white to drink while my husband opted for a beer.

The mixed starters.
The mixed starters.

The starters were immaculately presented, plentiful and flavoursome. They included a selection of dips, homemade bread, a flaky pastry with a cheese filling and spicy meat. The waiter kindly offered us more bread once we’d polished off the initial serving and I’m glad we declined as the main meals to come were bigger and more filling then we could have imagined.

My kofta iskender was made of charcoal grilled spicy minced lamb wrapped in a pitta bread and topped with homemade tomato pepper sauce, served with yogurt and mixed rice. The presentation was every Instagrammer’s dream with flavours to match. I struggled to finish the meal so ditched some of the pitta bread to make sure I had room for the good stuff on the plate.

Read more Eat My Words reviews here

My husband’s mixed shish was also a sight to behold and unusually he also failed to clear his plate. He said the charcoal grilled chicken and lamb cubes were beautifully cooked, and he happily finished the mixed rice and salad. The dish also came with chips but these were probably the one aspect that let the meal down as they weren’t anything special and the meal was filling enough without.

The two courses cost £29.95 per person. For £34.95 we could have opted for three courses but we just didn’t have room for dessert and from a quick glance around the restaurant, neither did anyone else. The group next to us was even packaging up doggy bags with their leftovers so I’m pretty sure no one went home hungry.

The kofta iskender
The kofta iskender
The mixed shish.
The mixed shish.

All in all our experience at Zada was outstanding. The food and service were both impeccable and I wouldn’t hesitate in going again. The only slight niggle was how closely together the tables were positioned. There was very little space between us and our neighbours but as long as you don’t mind people overhearing your conversation, you’ll be fine.

Coloured lamps hang from the ceiling.
Coloured lamps hang from the ceiling.
Traditional Turkish dress adorns the walls.
Traditional Turkish dress adorns the walls.

Out of five:

Food: Packed with flavour and generous portions *****

Drinks: Reasonably priced and a wide enough choice ***

Decor: Beautifully decorated with traditional features ****

Staff: A friendly welcome ****

Price: Excellent value for such stunning food *****

Eat My Words
Eat My Words

Have you had a great meal? Share your own Eat My Words reviews or tell us where to try by emailing: news@lincsonline.co.uk



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