Istanbul Bar & Grill Arnold — Restaurant in Gedling

I have never written a review of a restaurant before but after our visit to Istanbul today felt that I simply had to share our experience. We went for lunch on a beautiful sunny day and were warmly greeted by Ozzy who said we could sit anywhere. We decided to sit outside at the rear of the restaurant and Ozzy immediately asked if we wanted the awning to be closed so that we could relax in some shade. Two minutes later I was nursing a cold Efes and my wife was sipping on an ice-cold Coke Zero. Ozzy (real name Okesh - although I may not have got the spelling 100% correct!) was a perfect host guiding us through the menu and answering every question we had regarding the different dishes. We settled on the Hot Mix starter which is a sharing platter featuring zigara boregi ( a pastry filled with feta cheese and parsley, halloumi, felafel, calamari and sojuk (spicy Turkish sausage). Every bite was delicious and the side dips and hummus all added something slightly different to each bite. The bread was light and delightfully chewy and my wife said the olives were heavenly. For mains I went for the Chicken Anatolia, chicken with mushrooms, garlic and pepper served on rice with a cheesy, creamy garlic sauce. The chicken was tender and moist and the sauce bursting with flavour. My wife decided on the Lamb Moussaka which she said was lovely and light. She particularly enjoyed that it came with rice and bulgur wheat which she said she would never have thought to put together (she is an accomplished cook herself) but which worked very well together. Moving on to dessert, I plumped for the Sutlac - a Turkish rice pudding which was wonderfully chilled and clean-tasting after the flavour-packed main course and my wife chose the baklava. We're a couple who share tastes of each other's choices and I can honestly say that the baklava was fantastic! Very sweet but without it being an overpowering sickly sweetness. It was simply delicious! We shared a glass of raki, having never tried it before, which left a burning trail down the middle of my chest and cleared my sinuses very effectively! Then, having decided to go the full 9 yards, we finished with Turkish coffee - very strong and served in beautiful little cups not much bigger than a large thimble. Well, we thought we were finished, but Ozzy brought us complimentary cups of Turkish tea which cleansed our palates perfectly. The restaurant was not busy (as one would expect at 12h20 on a Tuesday) which meant the calm, quiet atmosphere suited us perfectly. A special mention for Ozzy who was friendly, informative and charmingly attentive throughout our visit. We had a great time and the only reason I gave it 5 stars was because I couldn't...

Serve low quality bad food, you will get poisoned from lamb shank 😷

Edit** This restaurant served shockingly low-quality and unsafe food. I unfortunately have a history with their poor standards; searching my order history, I discovered I had mistakenly ordered from them again. I now recall that a BBQ platter I ordered last year was also not well-made. Despite this previous bad experience, I ordered the lamb shank for my wife and myself. This time, it was disturbingly unfresh, poorly cooked, and the spices were unpleasant. Despite the high cost and my hunger, I ate some of it, leading to severe stomach issues, excessive gas, and vomiting twice. This was genuinely the worst lamb shank I have ever had, and I was ill for an entire week as a result. Beyond the terrible food, the customer service is also unacceptable, and it appears they resort to fake reviews to inflate their rating. Avoid this place at all costs – learn from my mistake, The invoice was uploaded after deleting some private...

Can’t recommend this restaurant highly enough. It is, without a doubt, one of the best places I’ve ever eaten at. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed with warmth and genuine hospitality. The atmosphere was absolutely lovely and the food... truly exceptional! Every dish was packed with authentic flavour and prepared to perfection. The prawns and calamari were fresh, tender, and bursting with taste – a seafood lover’s dream. The liver was surprisingly delicate and rich, cooked just right, and the mousakka was comfort food at its finest – hearty, delicious, and deeply satisfying. The aubergine dish was a real standout for me, silky, and such incredible flavours. The staff were wonderful throughout – friendly, attentive, and clearly passionate about what they do. It’s rare to find a place where both the food and the service are equally impressive, but this restaurant gets everything right. A truly memorable dining experience – I can’t wait to return. Highly, highly...