The glitzy exterior of this new restaurant sparkles under the night sky, making it easy to locate. The swanky theme continues inside with its plush blue décor and imported Turkish furniture. Petek is split into two floors – the lower one is the coffee and cake shop, while the first floor is its spacious dining room.
Since its opening, Petek has had mostly locals streaming in for authentic Turkish fare. The extensive menu offers more than 100 dishes, some more familiar than others, but each with a line of description. This is especially handy given that only a few of the waiters speak
fluent English.
We get past this obstacle and plump for a couple of mezze. Within five minutes of the orders being delivered to the kitchen, a waiter rushes out with a hefty tray laden with bowls for us to take our pick from. We go for a dip of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, which is refreshing with a hint of spiciness. The chunks of walnut add texture and we wolf it down with fresh bites of Arabian bread.
Our next dish, the succulent tavuk kebab, soon arrives and is a flavourful skewer of minced chicken and herbs, served with a mound of tomato bulgur that makes for a delicious side.
There’s a good selection of mains on offer with grills, tavas, stews, pides, rice and bulgur dishes and even a couple of pastas for the less adventurous. We zero in on the salt-crusted lamb cubes, which take 20 minutes to prepare, the wait only – adds to the feeling of excited anticipation.
When the chef arrives pushing a trolley on which rests a salt dome, he smiles at us cheekily and sets it ablaze. Once it burns out the waiter breaks through the crust to reveal tender pieces of lamb over brown rice. The dish is as delicious as it is simple, and proves to be the perfect way to end a memorable evening. We will be back.
The bill (for two)
1x Salt covered lamb Dhs290
1x Minced Chicken Dhs85
1x Acili Dhs26
1x Kunefe Dhs30
1x Water Dhs10
Total (including service tax) Dhs441
The bottom line
A tasty, entertaining, but pricey meal.
