Paasha Turkish Kitchen — Restaurant in Albert-Eden

Came here as it was recommended to me! Positives : Nice setting and large food portions. I really wanted to like this place but unfortunately I had not experienced a more disappointing dinner out. No menus were given, we had to ask, no water was refilled so we had to constantly ask for more water. Our starter of chips arrived cold, so we asked for it to be reheated, the waitress was lovely but looked almost confused as to why we wanted it hot. It wasn't too busy, but our mains took about an hour to arrive, and when it came they were all under lukewarm temp, felt embarrassed to ask them to reheat it, but we all couldn't stomach it because it was literally lukewarm/cold meat. Let the waitress know about the issue and she said that because there were fans in the kitchen, that fan must have cooled the food down, and I replied that it shouldn't be this cold, and I touched the meat confirming it was cold, she then used her finger (I'm not joking unfortunately) and touched my food and acknowledged it was cold, then asked if we still wanted the food, or if we wanted it reheated (almost like it was a confusing concept to have hot food) I don't think it's acceptable for wait staff to touch customers food with their fingers (when they've probably been dealing with money and who knows what else) I really think some restaurants need to properly train their staff in hospitality basics. When our food came back reheated we had a little bit (it was hotter this time) and then got the rest takeaway as we had waited so long we were full from the starters. No apologies were given, so we paid, said thank you and left. I wanted to write a private email to the owners about this issue but there is no contact email on the website, I hope the owners see this review and make some adjustments, it could have been a one off issue that unfortunately happened to us, but I feel like this experience was bad enough I needed to make them aware of this. I want the hospitality industry to succeed so I'm hoping you can take these negative issues we had experienced and hopefully improve.

My response to the owners reply:

Thank you for your reply, I am not denying the hard work of your staff as I have also worked in the industry for a long time so I know how much work it is to run a restaurant. I can guarantee you that all 4 dishes were room temperature, we are definitely not the kind of people to complain, we actually feel embarrassed to complain, but because all 4 dishes were cold, we felt we had to say something because this is highly unusual and I’ve never experienced this at a restaurant before, which is why I wanted to bring this to your attention. There is no gain for me in making up issues that you think mustn’t have happened. We did not ask for any discounts, we paid full price and we are not expecting anything either, we just wanted to bring this to your attention to help your business grow and improve. We appreciate you reheating the food, and the takeaway containers, we had no issues with the quality or taste, it was the temperature of the food, so from a safety point, it’s very important that it is served hot. I noticed you have security cameras facing the diners, you can review the footage of us (we were there from 6:30pm, on 19/12) you will be able to see the waitress putting her finger in my dish to make sure it was cold. So when you say that this did not happen, that is a complete lie, your security footage will show this happening. I am disappointed that instead of taking ownership of these issues, you are accusing me of making up these issues because “they have never happened before”, there is always a first time for everything and unfortunately it did happen to us. Thank you for your reply, but due to this accusatory response, and making up excuses for genuine concerns we had, unfortunately we will not be returning. Best of luck and...

I recently visited a paasha turkish restaurant, and I have to say, it was an exceptional experience! The food was absolutely delicious—perfectly cooked turkey with a wonderful blend of flavors and sides that complemented the main dish beautifully. Every bite was a treat, and you could really taste the quality of the ingredients. However, what truly elevated our dining experience was the exceptional service we received, particularly from a staff member named Mehnaz. Her warmth, attentiveness, and genuine enthusiasm were truly remarkable. Mehnaz anticipated our needs before we even voiced them, offering helpful recommendations and ensuring that every aspect of our meal was perfect. Her friendly demeanor and genuine care made us feel like valued guests, and her knowledge of the menu was impressive.

The ambience was another highlight—cozy, inviting, and well-decorated, creating a warm atmosphere that made the meal feel even more enjoyable. Whether you're going for a casual dinner or a special occasion, this place has a great vibe.

Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for a memorable turkey meal in a...

One of the worst ‘restaurants’ I’ve been to in New Zealand.

Food: The food itself was bland and most of mine was cold and had very little taste. Was expecting a lot more for the money.

Service: The hostess was one of the slowest belligerent people I’ve ever been served by. With no one else in the restaurant, we waited approximately 20 mins to have our order taken and then another 20 for the food. We waited until AFTER our food was served before the drinks came and even then, we didn’t get all of them. We asked where the missing drink was and was told it was coming, and then proceeded to see other people served dinner. Upon asking again, we were basically told to sit down and wait for it.

Atmosphere: For a supposed Turkish restaurant, the weirdest Indian sounding music was on, which really didn’t seem like it matched.

All in all, this is definitely not a Turkish restaurant in anyway and it should be called, European or Middle eastern instead for the mish mash going on. There are much better and properly authentic Turkish restaurants out there,...