One of the oldest names when it comes to Turkish food in Jeddah is Fairouz Restaurant. I recently paid a visit to the branch opposite to Shobra on Rawdah Street.

The décor was a bit shabby and the ambience on the noisier side, to such an extent that at times I’d have to raise my voice to make myself heard to the person sitting opposite to me.

A lengthy menu was given to us with loads of unfamiliar Turkish names along with regular Turkish favorites. We ordered the Meat Tajine with cheese, which is one of the best Turkish dishes I’ve tried. The dish is an appetizing mishmash of sweet and savory flavors. It is made from delectable pieces of tender meat and finely chopped tomatoes soaked in thick gravy. The tagine in which the dish is cooked is placed in front of diners and is swathed with cheese. Priced at 25 SR this one is worth every penny.

Along with it we ordered the Kebab Iskandari, which is a succulent dish made from thinly cut grilled lamb basted with hot tomato sauce and moist slices of bread.

We also tried the Adana Kebab, which had a strikingly similar appearance to the Asian Seekh Kebab, one of my all time favorite Asian foods. Although it was pleasant to eat, with a subtle flavor of mild spices, it wasn’t something that I’d want to order again, especially after tasting the extraordinary tastes of the Meat Tajine and Kebab Iskandari.

However, my main issue with the place was the unfriendly waiting staff, especially the one that served my table. He seemed to get angered at even the slightest delay in ordering.