A La Turka Whitstable — Restaurant in Canterbury

We had a reservation for 4 on a Sunday evening and found the mocktails and garden seating area to be pleasant but that is the end of the positive things I have to say about this restaurant.

We had 5 servers overall by the end of the meal and, aside from one who seemed to be manager level, none of them had any confidence in guiding us through the menu with regards to a gluten allergy. Every time we inquired about a dish the server had to go and consult someone else. They also had trouble taking the order and seemed to have had no training on the menu or how to use the tablets they were taking the order on.

We ordered a selection of meze which came out in fairly short order and were pleasant enough. However they all tended towards the bland and none had a distinct flavour palate. They all seemed to be dashed with the same spice mix.

Then we began our wait. We sat for an hour and a half watching tables that arrived after us have their mains served. We occasionally caught the eye of a manager who would shout questions about our table to the floor but nothing was forthcoming. We had to flag down a server to get an update. We were told that the food is coming, nothing more.

When it arrived we were initially baffled at the presence of rice. When we made our order, after we had navigated the labyrinth of attaining a gluten free meal, we were told that there was no rice and we would have to have bulgur. Yet here was rice and it turns out they had run out of bulgur.

Then our disappointment was confounded by the cold, tough, clearly reheated meats we were served. It was obvious that our dishes had been forgotten about and delayed but instead of refiring new plates they served the ruined food.

After the meal no one asked how it had been, clearly aware of and embarrassed by the situation. We told the servers to take off the service charge and told them exactly why we were doing so. We got a sorry in response but would have rather explained to a manager, all of whom had disappeared from the floor when we finished.

The management here need to take better care of their customers and their serving staff. They are all clearly under prepared. The lack of knowledge of the menu and of allergens is shocking and could potentially cause serious harm if it is not addressed. They also need to be more present on the floor, more reactive and take action while their servers are learning instead of barely training them and watching them flounder.

A pretty restaurant that cannot gloss over its lack of flavour or professionalism. Avoid if you have any allergies or dietary...

We’re big fans of A La Turka and regular visitors to the other restaurants in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Ramsgate. So, with this new restaurant being just down the road, the wife and I were looking forward to trying it.

Your enjoyment will depend on what you like from a restaurant. If the food is #1 priority, we would recommend you go to any one of the other A La Turka’s in the area.

The positives - the reason I’m giving 3 stars is that the staff were friendly and the decor was nice, but that’s about as much as I can say.

The negatives - For the food, I’d say 2 stars. We were surprised that the table next to us, who ordered after we did, got their sharing platter within 5 mins. I was immediately wondering how it could have been served so quickly in a busy restaurant if it had been cooked fresh. Ours also came out in under 10 mins, quicker than I remember being served in any A La Turka, and the meat was only warm, so we assumed it must have been either reheated, or perhaps kept warm ready to serve.

The grilled meats are always good at other A La Turka’s, but this was bland. Also, we normally can’t stop eating the complimentary Turkish bread, it’s usually so good with lovely flavours from being warmed on the grill - this time it just seemed like some bland generic bread from a supermarket that had been warmed in a microwave. For the first time we left most of the bread.

The upstairs areas is also loud. It didn’t help that we were seated next to a table of 12 lads. We could barely talk as we couldn’t hear each other speak, just two feet apart. This was just bad luck of course, no one’s fault, and to the credit of the waiting staff, they clearly felt bad and asked if we wanted to move. Nice gesture, but there was only one other free table around 2m behind us, but also next to the same table of 12. No point in moving. I asked if there was anywhere else at all in the rest of the restaurant and was told there wasn’t. We decided we would just eat up and leave. We noticed the table next to us were out even faster than we were.

Anyway, we ate up and left in record time to grab a drink at a nearby bar and salvage the evening. Needless to say, we removed the 12.5% service charge automatically added to the bill. Something I’ve never actually done before.

As a big A La Turka fan, I’d say go to Herne Bay or Canterbury instead. Much better food and...

Well, I don't really like leaving bad reviews . But on this occasion I really have to. My husband and I don't go out very often, but we decide to start going out for date nights. So I decided to book A La Turka in Whitstable on a Saturday night . We went in there ,sat down . It was very busy but nether the less. Our waiter/waitress was nice enough. They asked us if we wanted drinks and if we were ready to order our food , which we weren't. But all the other staff kept asking us if we were ready to order. Which really made us feel rushed and on a conveyor belt . Anyway, we did order our food for starters and mains. Our starters came out, and it was lovely, but we had almost finished, and my husband was still eating . The young lad came over and asked if we had finished, and we said no, but he still took our plates away. Then our mains came out, which was OK. The young lady came over and asked us if we wanted a dessert and if everything was ok and we explained to her our experience and how unhappy we were!!! She said to us that if we come back on Thursday evening that she would serve us, but spending up to £75 and staying in the restaurant for an hour ish . And obviously, we didn't have dessert and we left but we will never go back, which is such a shame as we like to support our...