Article: Efes Restaurant, Princess Street - review
Day of the week and time: Sunday 6.30pm (for dinner).
So I went to this restaurant last week with an FY1 buddy and made some new friends there too - smashing people to dine out with! We strolled into this place after chilling at her flat and then attending an Eid celebration fun-day at the Muslim Heritage Centre, which was a brief visit. I think food was on the agenda!
I have warmed to buffets over the last few months. Efes's Buffet has a wide selection of dishes, from a fresh salad bar to a selection of desserts. This is a Turkish restaurant that does an A La Carte Menu and a Buffet. We tried the buffet (£9.00) which was fantastic.
Try the mini lamb koftes here - yummy! When I have lamb koftes elsewhere, they are usually ultra greasy and severely lack any seasoning - which are the biggest no-no's in preparing dishes! I should add that it's always best to taste before seasoning, so all the celeb chefs keep saying (namely Jamie Oliver - you are my hero!). Efes's lamb koftes are tasty, succulent and bite-size - making them perfect for Buffets!
The chicken wings are lovely here too - not at all dried out by being left out on the hot plates for too long. Don't you just hate that though? Ultra dry chicken that after one bite, gets in between your teeth and your stuck at the table discreetly but unsuccessfully trying to lodge it out with your tongue - both gross and infuriating! But that didn't happen at Efes; rather, I helped myself to some more and I'm not even a chicken fan!
For dessert, I had profiteroles which made my day because for those who already know having read my past blogs, I love all French desserts! The profiteroles were decadent - a light chaux pastry with an even lighter creamy filling. The pieces of fruit (water melon, kiwi etc) were lovely and refreshing. - a nice and natural way to cleanse the palate.
About the decor - I didn't think it was anything special. It was dark, but not dingy; clean, empty, yet inviting. The waiters were polite and showed us to a table, but since this was a buffet, I can't really comment much on the service, but what I will tell you is that when I needed to pray Asr, a lovely male staff member allowed me to use the office! This is always appreciated!
If you look at the website, it's a little off putting for the halal seekers, but don't worry, I didn't notice a belly-dancer there (I'm sure I wouldn't have missed it). I would strongly suggest calling ahead to make sure they're not having a belly-dancing show to avoid embarrassment if you're going with your family or spouse! lol.
Overall, Efes was a great restaurant; simple, nothing too fancy or overdone; just a nice place for a get together and some tasty Turkish dishes to try. I loved the Buffet and the company was even better - the two important ingredients for a great dining experience!
Enjoy, whether your visiting Manchester or live there, this place is a must-try, especially if you don't want to break the bank!
Ratings
Ambience = 7/10
Food = 7.5/10
Service = 8/10
Speed of food = Buffet
Restrooms = 8/10
Alcohol: unfortunately served
Alcohol: unfortunately served
Price: £9.00
Taste card: accepted, but I did not use it (need to renew it!).
Room For Improvement
- Get rid of the alcohol :) and experiment with non alcoholic cocktails!
