The Fat Spoon loves originality. And this alternative little café on Percy Street definitely has it by the bucket load, the main aim of their game being able to cater for vegans, vegetarians and gluten-dodgers in addition to the omnivore masses. The setting is quaint and rustic, but does have a warming feel to it...looking a little like mystics meg's dining room versus your Grandma's house. Despite it's dainty size, you can usually find a table amongst the hippie types floating about, usually discussing tea leaves in far too much details. But this theme of relaxed randomness continues with their menu, which covers breakfast options, Eastern and Indian dishes, as well as contemporary sandwiches, some interesting fish entries and some pretty perfect home baking.
It's all about homemade bait here, and they do what they can to make as much of it as possible on this tiny site. And largely it turns out pretty nice, the baked goods in particular are outstanding. They are the masters of bread and cake. Bow down and kiss the free-range, anti-government, team-nature, organic-lovers ring. And once you've tried their brilliantly rich cakes, scones and treats...you may well follow suit. They've got breakfast covered pretty well too, although portions aren't very big, you can really appreciate the wholesome nature of their takes on classic breakfasts. As said, there is plenty of choice for vegetarians, including some chunky dhal, ever glorious - grilled halloumi and of course falafel. Although on one occasion, the falafel let the side down. What should have been a patty of fried chickpea and coriander goodness tasted more like a ball of desiccating and bland gram flour shame. Don't skimp on the basics Scrumpy!
The service is largely very friendly, although failing to ask how the food was, is always something that will let the experience down. A restaurant should always be proud of their food and should always have the customer's review at the very forefront of their mind. This makes The Scrumpy a rather mixed bag nuts ... probably not dissimilar to many of the clientele. All-in-all it's worth donning your dreadlocks, bohemian clothing and book about 'igniting your free spirit', because The Scrumpy Willow and Singing Kettle has got some organic delights to behold. Particularly if you fear meat like gingers fear the sun, have a serious affliction with all things gluten or just love a bit of good old-fashioned afternoon tea and cake. 71%
Restaurants don't always have to be super pretty, overtly fancy or come with the most courteous of serving staff to be appreciated in some lights. After all, what's most crucially important (to the Fat Spoon especially) is the food, which is difficult to mess up when you've selected a simple menu. Unless of course, said restaurant's kitchen has the production ability of a defective turd. Marmaris is yet another new restaurant in Newcastle, a Turkish grill house that thankfully isn't too generic. And they're not at all afraid of getting their meat out.
You can expect all of the classic cold starters, such as hummus, stuffed vine leaves, tabelluh and various ezmes, best served as part of a cold meze platter. As well as hot favourites like falafal, various kebabs and koftes, spicy sucuk and of course hallumi. Again great as sharing starters with some of there suspiciously cheap wine. If you're looking for a relatively low fat, high protein main, then the mixed meat grill is exactly what the personal trainer ordered. A medley of all your favourite animals, married together under the smoke and spices of Turkey. Individual meat meals are available, but if you know what's good for you then the mixed grill will suffice.
Marmaris BBQ House is another case of judge a book by it's cover. Sure, the interior looks like a bizarre cross between a kebab shop in Bradford with a doctor's surgery in the Middle East. It isn't your eyes, their TV projector is actually askew and the staff may seem a little dazed and confused, it is still worth a trip. The meat quality seems to be good and you cannot argue with the authenticity of the Turkish barbecue flavours they manage to incorporate into every dish. Get yourself some mint barbie bait, without having to be doused in fire or smoke. 76%
Just a stones throw away from the (relative) bustle of Haymarket is what seems to be a new installation of actual Turkey (the country, not the munter of a bird). That being an exceptionally authentic three storey cafe/tower serving delicious home cooked Turkish cuisine. You may begin to question your safety as you climb the first hostel-like stairway, but once you're tackled with the distinct aroma of their open BBQ grill coupled with an almost agressive amount of spice and garlic, you will know you've made a solid choice. These sorts of establishments can be judged on your inabilty to pronounce the names of dishes, the more drunk you sound...the better the selection; and at Istanbul they don't disappoint! Here they over a wide range of healthy but flavoursome grilled meat dishes, all of the expected classic hot and cold mezze dishes as well as those taste infusion dishes involving lamb and lentils and aubergine that you would expect from a proper Turkish diner. They also have some interesting breakfast dishes and some frankly weird desserts for the bold. As is also typical with such places the food is very very well priced, the decor is plain ugly and the staff are a little moody - possibly incapable of smiling at all first, though a few jokes in they'll warm to most people. But thats part of the package, so rough it up and get some doner meat done properly down you. 72%
