"We don't see our customers as a customer, we see them as a family," said the proud owner of Benton's hugely popular Anatolian Turkish restaurant, Lezzet.
The restaurant, which is a family-run business, sits in the heart of Benton, Newcastle and was started by Izzet Zengin.
Mr Zengin moved to the UK from Turkey in 2008 and six years later, he opened Lezzet with his family in 2014.
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The restaurant is a family-run affair and Mr Zengin's son, Emre Zengin who is also a chef at the venue, spoke about his father's lifelong love for food.
Emre said: "he has been a chef from childhood. His village was in Tokat, in Turkey, which was a small village and he travelled all the way from Istanbul to here. He opened his own restaurant and he's happy to serve Turkish food."
Over 80 dishes are on offer at Lezzet and each dish is beautifully presented to reveal the heart and soul of Turkish cuisine. These range from meze platters served with homemade Anatolian flatbreads to salads tossed in Mediterranean spices, classic vegetarian and meat-based grilled kofte, skewered kebabs and traditional dishes steeped in heritage - like their delicately filled 'Boregi' pastries.
Despite being hidden away from the wider communities, the restaurant has received over 600 positive reviews on Just Eat and one reviewer said: "This is not your regular delivery food, it is really high-quality. The grilled lamb was some of the best I’ve ever tasted, was a real treat."
Praised for its 5-star Food Hygiene Rating, Lezzet offer both home delivery and collections.
They are currently operating with an outdoor seating area with wheelchair access, in light of the ongoing Covid restrictions.
As travel restrictions still remain in the UK, visiting Lezzet to enjoy authentic Turkish cuisine could be a good alternative to experience the country's rich culinary culture without having to venture far from home.
