Sarastro
Turkish
126 Drury Lane, WC2B 5SU
££
Theatre themed, Turkish dining hot spot Sarastro has been around since I was a wee lass in 1996. Situated on Drury lane, amidst all the West End magic, Sarastro is a perfect pre or post theatre dining spot to either warm you up for the show or keep the magic going once the curtains have closed. It offers a Tenor menu for pre and post theatre, which is what Tom and I went for at 6pm on a Friday before going to see The Woman In Black at the Fortune Theatre close by.
Upon entering, the decor pretty much instantaneously blows you away. Sarastro is unique as the first restaurant in London to feature balconies. There are a range: English, Gothic, Rococo, Ottoman and Byzantine styles, as well as a Royal Box at the far end. The Balconies offer not only an aesthetic appeal, but also the chance for diners to have some privacy away from the main floor - perfect for those more intimate affairs. Various props from old productions adorn the walls, whilst the banisters are hand me downs from the Royal Opera House. The decor of Sarastro verges on camp in its brilliant indulgence, but manages (just) to avoid being labelled tacky.
The food is loosely Turkish. When I say loosely I mean that there are some mezze boards for sharing featuring traditional grilled meats, dips and Mediterranean style fish, but the Tenor menu we were offered also features dishes such as lasagna and grilled pesto chicken. Despite the Tenor menu being arguably less authentic, it is much more decently priced: £17.85 for two courses, or £20.75 for three. To start, I went for the Cheese Borek, whilst Tom had the Sucuk, and we also got a side of Cacik. To follow I had the Citrus Salmon and Tom the Kuzu Incik.
Despite some pretty negative views online, the food was surprisingly good! The cheese borek pastry was crisp and flaky, with hot melted cheese in the filling, whilst the sucuk sausage was interestingly smoky and the cacik amongst the best I've tasted. The salmon and lamb for main were both of a perfect colour and tender texture, the presentation was also great given that this was a pre-theatre menu. Complaints which I do sympathise with, however, are the talk of the claustrophobic tables below the balconies. The table we were offered would barely fit someone 5ft inside it, let alone us two giants, when asked to move the waiters nodded empathetic ally and moved us to a table in the centre, with no restrictive ceiling.
Sarastro's founder, Richard Niazi aka 'The King of Covent Garden' was a larger than life character himself, so it would only make sense that he opened a restaurant this camp. On certain evenings Sarastro has live music - when I visited the place years ago I managed to catch some. Overall, Sarastro isn't the poshest place in the world, and can come across as more cheesy and flamboyant than particularly classy. You may also want to steer clear if you're over 5ft and haven't definitely secured a balcony seat. It is, however, a fun experience with good food and original surroundings, located perfectly central of 'theatreland'.
OVERALL RATING: ****
http://www.sarastro-restaurant.com/
