Many of us have started easing our way back out into society as it, albeit slowly, makes its way back to what it once was pre-pandemic.
Will it ever fully return? The answer is who knows. But we’re certainly seeing cocktail bars, nightclubs and other late-night establishments taking advantage of the easing of restrictions – as they should.
So picture this. It’s the weekend, and you’ve spent the duration of the night with your friends and/or family sipping a series of different tipples – cocktails, spirits, you name it.
You’ve been on your feet for hours on end, and the time has come for those post-night out hunger cravings to kick in.
But as many of you will be well aware, these are not just any old hunger craving, no. All you can think about is diving into a portion of carb-filled takeaway dishes.
And let’s be frank, everyone has their go-to when in need of soaking up the booze.
For Julia, during her years as a student, that takeaway was Marmaris.
Keen to see if it was just as good sober, we made our way to the eatery, on Rose Street in Aberdeen, for the latest taste test in our Drive-Thru Diners series.
Marmaris: What is it and what’s on offer?
The Turkish pizza and kebab house was the first-ever kebab shop in the north-east of Scotland, being established in 1983 and formerly known as Khyyam Kebab.
Serving up a diverse menu of pizzas, burgers, kebabs and wraps, among other things, the venue prides itself on using only the finest and freshest of ingredients.
The order:
The results
Marmaris was full to the brim with schoolkids during our visit, which you’d think could only mean one thing – the pair of us were in for a treat. But was that the case?
It’s time to find out what we thought.
Yaprak Dalmasi
First thing’s first, the appearance. Julia and I didn’t know what to expect when it came to the yaprak dalmasi – essentially, stuffed vine leaves – and it was not a great-looking dish, to say the least.
But food can sometimes surprise you. Take kiwi, porridge or guacamole, for example, they don’t appear the best but can really hit the spot.
Unfortunately in this instance, that wasn’t the case.
The garlic sauce was nice and silky, but very much on the watery side. And as for the stuffed vine leaves themselves, the interior had the texture of rice pudding, but with little to no flavour.
Presentation
Julia: 2/5
Karla: 1.5/5
Taste
Julia: 2/5
Karla: 1/5
Sucuk kebab
I’ve never been a huge lover of kebabs because, to be perfectly honest, all they scream to me is stodge. But this one looked the part.
At Marmaris, all kebabs are served in a pitta bread with a salad and sauce of your choice. The pair of us requested a tub of chilli sauce and a tub of garlic sauce, both of which were delicious.
We ripped the pitta in half and distributed even amounts of that Turkish spicy sausage and salad. The bread was nice and sturdy, although still boasted a fluffy interior, so this wasn’t a struggle.
The sausage was a triumph and boasted the perfect amount of smokiness and spiciness. Julia and I continuously complimented it whilst tucking in.
And there were no faults on the salad front either. It was juicy and evidently fresh ingredients.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 3.5/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Doner Bursa
The doner bursa was under the ‘chef’s special’ section of the menu. And while, like the yaprak dalmasi, it didn’t appear the most appetising, at least there was some colour in there.
There was a layer of chopped pitta bread across the bottom, allowing it to soak up all the sauces (yoghurt and chilli) in the aluminium container.
This element was a straight-up no for me, although Julia didn’t mind it too much.
However, the flavours and textures of the doner, onion, tomato and sauces complemented each other really well.
The tomatoes were juicy and tangy, the sauces were creamy and the meat was nice and thin.
Presentation
Julia: 2/5
Karla: 2/5
Taste
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 2.5/5
It was the sucuk kebab that came out on top at Marmaris, with a score of 14.5/20.
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