Caravanserai — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Ambiance and Atmosphere: Caravanserai, nestled in the vibrant West End, offers an immersive experience into Turkish culture from the moment you step through the door. The warm, welcoming decor features traditional Turkish textiles, lanterns, and intricate woodwork, creating a cozy yet exotic atmosphere that transports you to the heart of Turkey.

Food: The culinary delights at Caravanserai are nothing short of spectacular. Their menu is a rich tapestry of authentic Turkish flavors, prepared with fresh ingredients and time-honored techniques. Here are some standout dishes:

Mezze Platter: A perfect starter, the mezze platter is a delightful assortment of dips, including creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, and tangy tzatziki, served with warm, fluffy pita bread. The combination of textures and flavors is a fantastic introduction to the meal.

Lamb Shank: Slow-cooked to perfection, the lamb shank is incredibly tender and flavorful. The meat falls off the bone effortlessly and is complemented by a rich, savory sauce that pairs wonderfully with the accompanying rice and vegetables.

Manti: These Turkish dumplings are a must-try. Filled with spiced meat and topped with a tangy yogurt sauce and a drizzle of melted butter, they are a comforting and delicious choice.

Baklava: No meal at Caravanserai is complete without trying their baklava. This classic Turkish dessert, with its layers of flaky pastry, chopped nuts, and sweet honey syrup, is the perfect end to a meal.

Hospitality: The hospitality at Caravanserai is truly exceptional. The staff are friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu, always ready to offer recommendations or explain dishes to those unfamiliar with Turkish cuisine. The service is prompt without feeling rushed, allowing guests to relax and enjoy their dining experience.

Whether you're a first-time visitor or a regular, the team at Caravanserai makes you feel like a valued guest, often going the extra mile to ensure your dining experience is memorable. Their warm hospitality combined with the inviting ambiance and mouthwatering food makes Caravanserai a standout dining destination in West End.

Conclusion: Caravanserai Turkish Restaurant at West End is a gem that offers a delightful journey into Turkish cuisine and culture. From the delicious and authentic food to the exceptional hospitality, every aspect of the dining experience is thoughtfully curated to ensure guests have a memorable visit. Whether you're looking for a cozy dinner spot or a place to celebrate a special occasion, Caravanserai is...

I went to this restaurant today and i feel obligated to write a review. Since i honestly feel I've been fooled and insulted.

I honestly don't where to start. It seems that the original owner of this restaurant was indeed Turkish (this is how it got it's current reputation and ratings/reviews) and now it has been sold to someone who is neither Turkish nor ever been to turkey and never tasted what Turkish food is actually like or all about. Here are the not bad and the bad:

The Not Too Bad Stuff: Turkish bread was not bad, although AFAIK authentic Turkish Bread has little to no Garlic in it, as you would not be able to accurately taste the dips. The bread served was too garlicky but that i am fine with that. Toilets were clean.

The Bad Stuff: Everything else. A) Food: We're ordered Dips Duo and Sublime platter for 2.

A.1) Hummus in Duo plate was stinging, bitter and tastes nothing like any Hummus that i ever had, even Yumi's yellow bucket at coles tastes better. If they were serving Hummus from scratch they are probably doing something wrong while soaking the chickpeas or during cooking it. The bitterness reminds me of cheap Hummus made in the middle east where they add lots of Bi Carb Soda to cook it quicker.

A.2) Baba Ghanouj in Duo plate was pale and tasteless.

A.3) Sublime platter for 2 has absolute nothing to do with Turkish cuisine what so ever, the way it looked, smelled and tasted. Tasteless prawn skewers. A giant chilli meatballs that is more Italian than Turkish Kofta. Salty chicken skewer tasteless as well. A western style glazed sticky rib that tastes neither western nor Turkish (never heard of sticky ribs in Turkish cuisine but to be fair it was cooked well done the way Turkish usually do it).

What else, rice was served cold, dry and hard (feels like left overs from 2 days ago) has no taste or smell (couldn't figure out color, light was too dim, see blow). Green peas and carrot shreds on top?? Since when this is Turkish?! Olives were probably bought from a Greek store. And the two sauces that they served with them..God.. i didn't know what the hell was that, and at this stage am too afraid to ask.

B) Ambiance:

B.1) Lighting was too dim like you're in a Dracula's house or some sort of a dungeon, you could barley see any colors of the food served.

B.2) Music: Horrible, wasn't even Turkish or any kind of Oriental music. Some sort of weird modern music on a radio channel. ONE OF THE SPEAKERS WAS !@#$EN CRACKLING producing pure distortion, if i was running that restaurant and spotted a bad speaker, i'd !@#$EN cut the cord going...

Came here a few times with my partner, always love the food, atmosphere and easy going staff...

So when we had a small easy going casual wedding/baby celebration for 40 people, we thought "why not!?!"

Called up 2 months advanced, was easy to book with very accomodating... Told everyone how great they were... Look at the online menu and got their delux banquette (I really liked the idea of the extra muscles and fig mouse)

Had to confirm our booking 3-4 times with numbers and dietary requirements which did seem a little concerning at lack of communication...

Nonetheless Got there on the night... Food and most of the staff were great, but... Half our group was sitting in the dark away from the restaurant (looking at the place they clearly over booked them selves out and shoved us down infront of other closed stores without light)... Claimed the menu up on their website and on Zomato (basically everywhere) was 4 years out of date... So no mussels or fig mouse, just replaced the mouse with simple brownie slices... After spending over $2k at the place... I personally wish I went the cheaper option now. (They really need to update their menus/info online)

Like I said though, food we did get was great, the staff were friendly (bar one person that just kept walking out infront of our photographer.) and mostly a good atmosphere... Recommend this place... But even after calling up 2 months before hand, I would never recommend it for a...