Good Food @ Canli Balik

I’m beginning to appreciate much more the different Turkish restaurants down my stretch of Green Lanes than ever before.

In the beginning there was only Adana who got my business as well their grilled meats are second to none on the road, but the other restaurants all have their little bits of heaven.

Canli Balik I hadn’t eaten at since a drunken night a year or so ago and had a wrap of some sort and even in my drunken state I was not impressed.

But a year later and an open mind and willing to give any place a second try, as well my taste buds are pretty fucked up after a few bevies.

So off we popped down the road to Canli Balik, with a warm welcome we took a seat at the back of the restaurant.

The restaurant has some of the most interesting décor I’ve seen in a long while. It’s the fish bowls stuck to the wall that really set this place apart from all the other Turkish restaurants I’ve been in a long while. They really are beautiful, I’m sure I’ve seen then in an edition of Wallpaper magazine last month.

As Adana do the best grilled meats we opted to give them a big miss and decided to choose a few other items off their extensive menu.

In the end I did actually go for some grilled meats, but chicken wings, which I’ve not had in an age and grilled chicken over coals is always awesome. Something I lived off in Thailand and Laos for a long time.

We also chose a veggie dish of aubergine and yoghurt. Not what I would have normally chosen but I’m into experimentation.

We were given plenty of bread and dips whilst we were waiting. A nice little extra from the staff, who were really warm and friendly all night.

The meal was simple, delicious and very filling, the chicken wings were nothing out of this world, but they had that smoky taste I wanted and were still juicy. A bonus. The aubergines were very good, even surprised myself that I am eating more veg and less meat these days.

Canli Balik is a great little place that we will be returning to, it’s warm, friendly and cheap, which at the moment is a bigger plus than anything. I’m liking my Green Lanes.