ZUZU RESTAURANT
by Si Hall & Karen Booth
Located in Bebington, ZUZU Bar and Grill has now opened after
a long period of anticipation and the complete transformation
of the old Lloyds bank into a fantastic new Turkish restaurant
and bar.
As soon as you enter the building, the stylish décor, warm ambience
and the scope of the building grabs you! A fabulous open barbecue
grill (headed by Chef ‘Bersen’), open plan staircase, two dining
floors, two bars, beautiful use of wood, sumptuous upholstery
and an authentic Turkish feel and with upbeat traditional music
playing in the background.
Greeted by ‘Jonny’ the Head Waiter, our party took a table in the
upstairs dining area. The menu is extensive and varied, including
a number of Turkish dishes which are not available anywhere else
locally. The menu uses the highest quality ingredients and there
are a number of sharing recommendations such as the ‘ZUZU fire-
pit sharer’ which is a Chef 's selection of traditional cold and hot
starters followed by chicken shish, lamb shish, Adana kofte, tavuk
beyti, lamb ribs, served with traditional rice and salads. A full two
course feast!
For our first visit, we opted for a selection of starters and mains.
To begin - Feta & olives - simple in a lovely olive oil dressing -
Whitebait – tasty, crispy and delicious, served with garlic dip -
uncomplicated but well prepared. ‘Hellim sucuk’ - grilled halloumi
cheese and a spiced ‘home made’ Turkish sausage. Great tasting
combination. All our starters were served with delicious warm
homemade Turkish bread.
For our mains we chose the classic ‘Kleftico’ - slow cooked lamb
shank (which fell off the bone) served on a bed of creamed mash
potato, braised carrots and celery - ‘Hydra’ - a pan fried succulent
chicken breast with a white wine & mushroom sauce served with
mashed potatoes and Mediterranean vegetables - ‘Sirloin steak’
- a tasty sirloin steak cooked on the fire-pit accompanied with
seasoned and well-cooked homemade chips, wild mushrooms,
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grilled tomato and the ‘ZUZU house sauce’ (tangy and delicious)
- ‘Sultans mixed grill’ - a hearty selection for the meat lovers
amongst us! - chargrilled chicken shish, lamb shish, Adana kofte,
chicken wings and lamb chop, served with delicious rice, salads
and an array condiments. All the meats were cooked to perfection
with fabulous flavours - ‘Seabass’ – chargrilled on the fire-pit and
served a bed of sweet potato puree & roasted peppers. A lovely
fresh dish with a smooth buttery texture.
To accompany our meal we chose two lovely wines from the
well selected wine menu, which were very sensibly priced and
complimented our food. Carmenere (Chile) – with a full bouquet
of oak & black fruit, firm but juicy palate. Sauvignon Blanc (New
Zealand) – with rich tropical aromas of mango, melon & ripe
citrus.
For dessert we shared the wonderful home-made baklava – layers
of not overly sweet loveliness, cooked to perfection and which
melted in your mouth! All served with a dollop of soft vanilla ice
cream. Fabulous!
As a nice finishing gesture we were given an individual portion of
Turkish delight and then indulged ourselves with a great tasting
ZUZU shot! Naughty but nice!
Our entire experience at ZUZU was great from start to finish. The
food was excellent and with the friendly and helpful staff, they
ensured our evening was an unforgettable one.
With seating for up to 100 diners, the combination of great tasting
food, good wine, a well-stocked bar, authentic surroundings,
great atmosphere and excellent service, this makes ZUZU a great
restaurant and bar destination on the Wirral. Booking is advisable.
Tel: 0151 644 1222
www.zuzubarandgrill.com