Mengen Sofrasi

On another voucher meal, we decided to go to Glebe for Turkish fare. It is a funny sort of a restaurant… more a corridor with chicanes of fancy lights. The front of shop is the takeaway and there was also entertainment which is pretty good for a Tuesday night. It was certainly a passing parade of people picking up takeaway and using the loo by making the trip down to the back of the shop past our table.
Apart from that entertainment the food we got was very good and took about 2 hours to deliver. We were in no hurry (the car was at a 2hr parking meter) and the service was good. It was a set meal but we did have choice of dessert. The best was the baklava.

Being turkish I had to stick my nose in here and have a bite.
I wasn’t disappointed at all.
For something authentic, feel free to eat here. They have lahmacun that melted in my mouth and reminded me of the stuff mum and I make at home when we’re bored. Perfect amount of mince meat, herbs and the bread… oh divine!
They played more recent turkish music which added to my joy since a lot of Turkish resturants seem to like to play the oldy classic stuffs — which is great but not really wiggle enticing as you sit there shovelling more food into your mouth because it all tastes so good.
And it does. I don’t think we had anything bad to eat here.
The décor reminded me of a quaint little place I found along the southern coast of Turkey last time I was there. Lots of rugs, paraphanalia and other bits and pieces. Yes, resturants over there are usually decorated thusly ;)
It’s definiately my go to place with a book to have a decent turkish cai if I’m feeling like a bike ride.

I discovered Mengen Sofrasi through a Groupon: $ 39 for a bottle of wine, bread and dips, main course to share, and dessert for two.
After a minor mishap regarding my inability to read Groupon fine print (needed to book in, rather than rock up as we did) we were graciously seated by the waiters who let us in anyway. First star well earned. Next, we were given the white wine, a sav blanc. Halfway decent bottle. Next the dips: five different scrummy dips served with the BEST Turkish bread– golden brown, crispy on the outside, chewy inside. Yum.
Instead of the main course following, we were soon presented with some falafels. Then, stuffed grape leaves. Next, mini-​bureks (cheesy fried pastries.) A lovely, delicious and unexpected touch seeing as we were already only paying $ 20 per head with wine included. But I was so full I could barely eat the tasty mixed grill main course (chicken and lamb) that followed after. Interestingly enough, I somehow managed to stuff down every last bite. Funny how that happens. Also found room for dessert, too, which was also very good. We rolled out of the place with smiles on our faces, fatter asses, and love in our hearts.
Glad we had a voucher, as the prices looked on the expensive side on the menu.
Recently, however, Mengen Sofrasi has stolen the show with their unbelievably delicious, excellent-​value-​for-​money kebabs.
The drill: you come in, take a kebab bag off the counter, tick the boxes as to what meat, salad and sauces you want, and sit back whilst your kebab is whipped up to your liking. Oh, and all sauces and salad, including cheese and hummus, are included in the price– $ 8 for a beef/​mix/​chicken, $ 7 for a falafel. Plus, the last time we were there, there was a bowl of chicken-​salt chips out for customers to munch on.
How awesome is that?
Falafels are fried to order; the chicken is actual skinless chicken thighs seasoned and skewered; their pides are absolutely to die for.
And that bread!
The kebab bread makes all the difference– made in-​house, a thinner version of its crispy, chewy, focaccia-​y cousin, grilled on the flat top before becoming the perfect vehicle for meat, salad and sauce to come together in perfect kebab-​y harmony.
Just– go here. Go here right now. Best. Kebab. In Sydney. Fo realzies.

Lots of Turkish artwork and colours and rugs and tables and chair cushions. But overall a little too on-​the-​nose. The waiter is dressed up in a traditional Turkish costume, and there’s a non-​stop loop of Turkish instrumental music. Look, we get it, it’s a Turkish restaurant. That’s why we came in.
The menu was large, though. We stuck to mezzes, which mostly worked. They felt like value for money. Didn’t have any of the larger dinner dishes, but they looked OK at other tables. I’m always disappointed by how Turkish restaurants outside of Turkey seem to have so little fish, though. And given the large number of pides, I don’t know why they bother to offer pizza here as well.
Staff were friendly and efficient and unobtrusive.
The Turkish coffee at the end was decent.