Troy, Wellfield Road, Roath, Turkish restaurant review

Troy’s relocation from City Road to Wellfield Road is a clever move.

Some might say it’s as cunning as using a huge wooden horse with soldiers hidden inside it to invade an ancient city (badum tish - I’m here all week).

On City Road, Troy had a heap of kebab-by competition.

In contrast, on Wellfield Road there are no other kebab restaurants within a half mile radius and it’s all the more convenient for the well heeled Penylan crowd. In fact, the restaurant was full by 7pm on the night we visited with walk-ins being turned away.

 
If you’re already familiar with Troy’s Turkish food from City Road then there won’t be any surprises. The menu focuses on a broad range of meze to start followed by kebabs cooked over an open charcoal ocakbasi. If you get a table next to the barbecue, it’s impressive to marvel at the pit master turning the hot metal skewers using his bare hands without the merest wince. 

 
On previous occasions we’ve gone for an all in deal for £17.50 a head giving you a selection of meze followed by a generous platter of mixed meat, salad and rice to share. This time we went a la carte.

Bottles of Mythos and Efes (£3.15) were knocked back and we ordered more promptly. 

Troy’s bonus nibbles are where it’s at.

Plump pepper stuffed olives were joined by an overflowing bowl of warm and soft sesame seed dotted Turkish pide bread. 

Kick ass spicy and sweet chilli sauce was balanced by a bowl of thick and creamy yoghurt twanged with garlic. 

The highlight of a hot meze platter for three (£12.50) was the beautifully bronzed pac-man like pieces of grilled halloumi. Delicate pastry triangles filled with an ooze of feta and parsley, falafel studded with whole chickpeas, Indian spiced vegetable rolls and thick humus were also very tasty. 

 
Main courses took things up a gear. But, a slight service mishap meant our friend’s mixed shish (£9.95) was missing its lamb component. Thankfully, this was dealt with swiftly and the missing skewer arrived in minutes.

My mixed grill (£12.50) didn’t have a dud element on the plate - minced lamb beyti humming with garlic and parsley, a thick lamb chop with a blush of pink, juicy chicken shish and nicely crusted chicken wings all had a lovely lick of smoke. Accompaniments of buttery rice with orzo and sprightly herb scattered mixed salad were all on the money. 

Mrs G loved her Ali Nazik kebab (£12.50) which saw first rate chicken shish sat on a bed of soft and smokey grilled aubergine flecked with peppers and garlic. 

Skipping dessert, a nutty piece of Turkish delight rounded off the meal nicely.

We had an ace meal at Troy. One of my favourite Cardiff kebab houses is now even closer to my house, which can only be a dangerous thing. It’s certainly going to be competing even more fiercely for my attention over Mowlana and KBS.

The Details:

Address - Troy, 13 Wellfield Road, Roath, Cardiff CF24 3NZ

Web - http://troymezebar.co.uk

Telephone - 029 2049 9339

Mira, Canton, Cardiff Turkish and Syrian restaurant review

*Mira is now closed* 

Another day, another kebab.

Doner cha wish your blog was hot like me?

With the number of doners and koftes I’ve eaten and reviewed on this blog over the years, perhaps my blog should have a kebab related strap line.

Or maybe I should just rename the blog Gourmet Gyro?

Anyway, I digress. Here’s another kebab review.

Mira, a Turkish and Syrian restaurant, opened on Cowbridge Road East around nine months ago on the former site of Outback Grill (I think… it’s the only explanation I can fathom for there being boomerangs on the wall).

A charcoal grill (ocakbasi) with a heavy duty ventilation system dominates the entrance of the restaurant. It’s a good sign that they’re serious about cooking meat.

The menu consists of mezze and grills alongside a few less expected dishes such as lasagne and fajitas.

Mira are one of Cardiff’s few middle Eastern restaurants which serve alcohol. So, I happily knocked back a couple of bottles of Efes (£3). 

Thick baba ghanoush (£4.25) contained good-sized chunks of aubergine and a good hit of nutty tahini. But it lacked a lick of smoke from charring the aubergine - one of my favourite features of this dish. 

Delicious light filo pastry borek cigars (£3.95) were filled with a tangy and rich ooze of melted feta flecked with herbs. 

Warm Turkish pide bread was topped with sesame and nigella seeds. However, half of the pieces were fresh and half were on the stale-side. 

Complimentary hummus was thick textured with a good hum of garlic. 

Mains were both very tasty - all the meats were tender and licked with smoke from the charcoal grill.

A mixed lamb kebab (£9.50) combined well-minted kofte, juicy pieces of shish and a flavoursome rib (which was a little light on meat). The meaty trio was joined by buttery and fluffy rice and a perky side salad topped with dried herbs and citrusy red cabbage. 

 
A mixed chicken kebab (£10.95) comprised of nicely marinated chicken shish, herby chicken kofte and deliciously crisp and juicy wings. Mrs G subbed her rice for a double side salad in a token nod towards calorific restraint. The only baffling element of the dish was an inedibly cremated onion. 

 
Accompanying the mains were generous bowls of sweet and fiery chilli sauce and thick and garlicky yoghurt. 

Forgoing dessert after the meat-fest, complimentary nut-studded pieces of Turkish delight were a delicious end to the meal. 

We had a very tasty and good value but not faultless meal at Mira. If you’re looking for a good mixed grill and a few beers in Canton then it’s worth checking out.

The Details:

Address - Mira, 149 Cowbridge Rd E, Cardiff CF11 9AH

Web - https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/Mira-Restaurant-1943565162570748/

Telephone - 029 2132 3786