Three days after the grand opening there were still a few first-night nerves at Chester’s Meze Restaurant and Bar. This was hardly surprising. The VIP launch was followed the next day by the special needs of the Chester Races crowd so our visit coincided with the first night of the full menu.
And, yes, there a few teething problems – but, I’m relieved to report, the food was excellent.
The boss is certainly not afraid of being front of house, gently chivvying his young and very pleasant staff and regularly tweaking the air conditioning (a personal horror of mine). But all this attention didn’t quite stop a few minor idiosyncrasies creeping in on the service front.
The Meze is housed in a prime city location on the Rows overlooking the Cross in what was, until recently, Raffles oriental eatery. Gone is the unloved old decor – including that gaudy ‘bad dream’ mural – to be replaced by a modern and stylish look invitingly schemed in dark chocolate and cream.
Downstairs a wine bar ambience prevails with the spiral staircase leading to the main dining room. On the Rows area is an open terrace type bar which would be a great spot for lunch on a sunny day, while in the evening cocktails are encouraged.
The trend in many new restaurants is for a multi-cuisine theme and this one is no exception. The main attraction is Turkish and Greek with other Mediterranean dishes adding even more variety. The label ‘international’ would not be too wide of the mark, though, as alongside the kebabs, pasta and tapas are the likes of Steak Diane and prawn cocktail.
There is no menu to peruse outside (or at least there wasn’t last week), merely a card listing some of the kitchen’s highlights. So a lot of what was on offer came as a surprise as we sat on the terrace, myself with a beer and my wife with a glass of fine house Chardonnay.
From an extensive and informative wine list – including an Indian rosé – we chose a bottle of Ropiteau L’Emage, Vin de Pays d’Oc, to accompany our meal, firstly because we thought it would suit but also, somewhat whimsically, in honour of our impending trip to Languedoc.
However, they didn’t have it but, as the menu informed us, in the event of a wine’s unavailability an alternative would be offered. In fact a bottle of Chilean Santiano Carmenère was actually opened for us when we arrived at our table. It was therefore quite reassuring to see that it was described as ‘an interesting alternative, well worth a try.’
Back on the food front, there are interesting selections of tapas, starters and hot and cold meze.
Now I always thought meze was, in fact, no less than a feast featuring a selection of many small traditional Greek or Turkish dishes which kept on coming until you surrendered. How can I forget the 24-course version I once experienced in Cyprus?
Here they are just small dishes offered more as a starter. I went for a Turkish speciality which had somehow managed to find itself on the tapas list alongside the calamari, tortilla and patata bravas. Midiye tava is mussels tossed in flour, seasoned, skewered and panfried (£4.95) and rather good.
Better still was my wife’s choice of sujouk (sliced Turkish sausage, mildly spiced, £4.95). This was a first for us and was splendid, served with salad and Turkish bread.
These portions were certainly on the discreet side, good for us wanting to enjoy fully a three-course meal but if ordered as part of a meze selection by a group I’m sure they wouldn’t quite do the trick. Fine though my starter... sorry, tapas... was, there were only three mussels on the plate.
The international starters selection includes the likes of whitebait, New Zealand mussels, prawns and chicken wings. Surely enough choice here to please anyone.
Most of the mains seem to be Greek in origin but of course familiar in a slight variation on Turkish menus. There are kebabs, stefado, kleftico, meatballs but also pasta steaks
and fresh fish.
I opted for shish kebab (chargrilled lamb skewers marinated with lemon juice and olive oil, served with potato salad, £10.95) while my wife’s choice was kofta kebab (chargrilled minced lamb mixed with fresh parsley, onion, spices and lemon juice and served with new potatoes and yoghurt, £10.95).
Both were generous portions but something was slightly amiss. Not a dramatic twist but still not quite as advertised. The shish was served with the new potatoes and both dishes arrived with the potato salad.
Still, they were both excellent. The shish was perfectly cooked, tender and a very dark shade of pink.
But the real revelation was the kofte which was superb, lemony and spicy and the best kebab we have enjoyed since a much-needed lunch at a real find in the back streets of Lefkosia. (correct)
In fact, as I finally noticed, the only thing wrong with it was that it had also arrived minus the yoghurt which my wife hadn’t minded but would certainly have enhanced an already splendid dish.
By now she was replete and finished off proceedings by asking for an off-menu Irish coffee while I enjoyed a slice of white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake (£4.95) from a list that also included chocolate fondue for two.
The minor gripes were completed with a lengthy bill-paying process featuring chip and pin gremlins.
We were also undercharged – doubts about honesty really being best then being put to the test with another delay.
Still this was effectively opening night and I am more than keen to give them much more than the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps these creases have already been ironed out. If this is the case then the Meze could easily be something rather splendid.
FACTFILE
The Meze Restaurant and Bar, 1-3 Eastgate Street, Chester.
Tel: 01244 342002.
Total cost: £60.45. Food – £39.75 for three courses for two people. Drinks – £20.70 for two glasses of Chardonnay, one beer, bottle of Santiano Carmenère red.
Best thing: Smart decor, excellent kebabs.
Worst thing: Those, surely temporary, teething problems!
Would suit: Couples or small groups looking for high-standard Turkish/Greek food.
Wouldn’t suit: Those looking for an inexpensive multi-dish meze feast or takeaway style kebabs.
