The Guzel Meze Bar Bistro

Guzel means beautiful in Turkish, a perfect description for this stunning Turkish restaurant. This eatery is a family-run affair, and as a result everything is designed with care; rich wooden floors, mirrors, lanterns and furniture upholstered in fabulous red tapestries, specially brought over from Turkey. Beneath gleaming glass table tops this lush fabric sets off the sparkle of glassware and cutlery, and the whole ensemble is finished with crisp white napkins, square plates and Turkish music - contemporary dining in authentic surroundings.

On arrival we also met Oguz and his father Hasan, our talented chef. The extensive menu made choosing a challenge. I couldn't resist the falafel - patties of broad beans and chickpeas, spiced up, deep fried and served with tahini sauce. My husband chose the traditional mixed meze, which included the most delicious, spicy Turkish sausage. The accompanying Turkish yoghurt dip was so fresh-tasting it bore no resemblance to shop-bought yoghurt. Vegetarians have incredible choice, but we meat-eaters chose terracotta lamb and garlic chicken. My dish turned out to be an individual little terracotta pot filled with kiln-baked lamb and vegetable stew, while the chicken was tender and moist - both came with neat side portions of rice. We also ordered a Greek salad, discovering how soft and creamy feta cheese can be. For an all-round taste of Turkish cuisine, try the reasonably priced set menu.

We had Turkish white wine and honey-filled pastries, finishing with Turkish coffee, individually made in a little stove-top pot - thick, perfumed and nothing like its distant espresso relative. The meal and service were exquisite. Oguz willingly shared with us his knowledge of Turkish cuisine and culture, happily answering all our questions. We loved it and will return.