Bite Me

A Turkish Delight

Marmaris 

Location 29 St Giles Street, Northampton

This is not the first visit to this small town centre restaurant but we hadn’t been for a while and on the whole were not disappointed to revisit. The restaurant is small as the charcoal grills take centre stage wafting delicious meaty aromas around, enough on their own to draw people in.

Having eaten there before we both decided there was no need for a starter as the portions are generous. Instead we ordered the Kleftiko, a slow cooked lamb shank in a rich sauce and a Karisik kebab, a mammoth selection of chicken, ribs and shish served with rice and salads. The flatbreads that accompany many of the dishes are moreish and served with a roasted onion dip that I’m determined to replicate very soon.

The kleftiko melted, with the lamb falling off the bone and the sauce like distilled heaven, it’s by far the best dish we’ve tried off the menu and the bread is perfect for soaking up the juice with the only comment from my partner being a Homeresque appreciation. The ribs and chicken were moist, juicy and deliciously spiced and while the shish was a little under seasoned for me, it was a sensational dish with the accompanying salads making it appear healthy and a little virtuous.

Service was a little hit and miss, the white wine ordered arrived warm. The waitress did put it back in the fridge for us when asked but you would expect chillers to be available for the table, or wine to be suitably chilled when served.
Despite this, the staff are very friendly and engender a welcoming atmosphere. The food was hard to fault and, with the total bill with wine for two coming to under £40, a real weekend lunch treat that we wouldn’t hesitate to return to again.

Recommended for a quick bite or a relaxed meal with friends although the restaurant does fill up quickly, definitely would try the takeaway option for a healthier non-post drinking kebab fix-all freshly grilled in front of you, wrapped in the delicious warmed flat breads which make a fantastic alternative to pitas.