A TURKISH restaurant in Southampton has been named as the Best Middle Eastern Restaurant in the UK for the second year running.
Ottoman Kitchen, which opened in the High Street in spring 2019, scooped the prize in this year’s virtual Asian Restaurant Awards. 
The competition was screened live from Grosvenor House in London after judges visited shortlisted restaurants in September this year. 
Ottoman Kitchen beat off competition from established Middle East restaurants Kateh, Devran and The Palomar to be awarded the coverted trophy last week. 
Opened last year in the former Ferryman and Firkin pub, Ottoman Kitchen is an independent, family-run restaurant, led by restaurateurs Niyazi Kaya and Ali Fistikci. 
The menu is built around the charcoal grill in the restaurants open kitchen. The chefs use traditional Turkish family recipes, which have been handed down through the generations. 
Mr Kaya said: “We’re very happy to be judged and win this award for a second year running. It’s a great honour to be bringing the best restaurant award to Southampton for a second time. It’s been a very hard year and we’ve had to adapt, now offering an online delivery service and changing a lot inside the restaurant to make everything meet government guidelines.”
The award judges noted: “Ottoman Kitchen is a modern Turkish restaurant where the food is expertly cooked. The flavours of the charcoal grilled dishes really stand out as the signature cooking of the restaurant. 
“The beautifully cooked food matches the décor in this distinctive Southampton venue which has now been adapted with safety screens and full covid precautions.”
To celebrate the award the restaurant will be holding a special night of celebration early next year which will also raise funds for Wessex Cancer Trust.