Strut & Cluck

When we heard a restaurant specialising in turkey was opening, we assumed it was just another poultry-focused fast-food shack. Instead, flavours at Strut & Cluck are Mediterranean and all-the-rage Middle Eastern, with dishes coming out mezze-sized.

The menu features all the staples, from pastrami to koftes, baba ganoush to schnitzel. Really, it’s a bit too wide – it felt like they were spreading themselves thin. Charred cauliflower with lemony crème fraîche had all the flavours in place, but was overcooked and lacked bite. A watermelon, feta, mint and olive salad also fell flat, while the hand-pulled shawarma with dates and pine nuts was so salty and over-spiced that I couldn’t finish it.

Happily, then, that the 'classic' turkey really shone. The slow-roasted thigh was tender and delicious: a far cry from the dry bird we’ve all suffered at festive feasts.

So, if you’re looking for a lean, tasty turkey fix, you’ll gobble this up. But for Middle Eastern-inspired small plates, there are frankly better (and cheaper) places to go.