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Message: By Wendy Johnson WALKING into the Ottoman you’re immediately struck by the number of frames hanging in the short hallway. Inside each is one of the many awards this special Canberra restaurant has picked up serving those who love to indulge in the magic of Turkish food. The best way to dine on chef Serif Kaya’s sensational dishes is to share. Even better, let the restaurant form a banquet for you and just sit back, relax and enjoy the company. The staff are well trained to handle serving large crowds this way; it’s a seamless process. Your wine will always be topped up and so will your water (poured from stunning silver Fink jugs). The extensive list of entrees is captivating reading and makes it a challenge to get to the mains. We were a crowd of eight and decided to put the experts at the Ottoman in charge. We were all glad we did. The first out of the kitchen was the dip platter. Before you think “been there, done that”, remember that the Ottoman’s cuisine is about the quality. The babaghanoush, homus, beetroot and other dips served with pide baked in house are too good to pass up and you’ll find you have to control yourself from filling up on them. Next came one of my favourite hot entrees, the borek – hand made filo pastry rolls filled with Bulgarian fetta cheese and parsley. They look delicate on the plate and the pastry is super light. The crispy zucchini puffs, served with yoghurt and dill sauce, are heavier, but not overly so, and the cumin, oregano and mild chilli that permeate the char-grilled spicy mushrooms a wonderful combination of flavours. Hot mains included salmon, cray and prawn rolls wrapped in vine-leaves, lightly battered, and served with savoury piquant sauce. The fish skewers with lemon and the chicken skewers, next in line, were quality through and through and the char-grilled, thinly sliced veal, seasoned “just so”, an excellent dish. And I thoroughly enjoyed the crisp salad with a pomegranate salad dressing. The décor at the Ottoman is unique. The main room is created with massive windows and don’t forget to look up at the ceiling full of stars on a deep blue background from which hang glass chandeliers – it will make you feel you’re dining in heaven. Ottoman, 9 Broughton Street (corner Blackall Street), Barton, 6273 6111. http://www.citynews.com.au/index.php/turkish_that_delights/
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