Not to be confused with the Balearic and west London clubbing goliath, this smart restaurant, serving up Turkish food, is a destination for dinner rather than the dance floor.

The Venue
You will find Pasha on Wapping High Street, surrounded by old industrial mills that have long since been converted into luxury apartments. The local loft-dwellers are undoubtedly the people Pasha will have at the core of its business, as travelling to and from the area is not particularly convenient for those who like the security of a tube sign in close proximity.

Once inside Pasha, there’s a certain element of a princess’ boudoir about the interior. Not in the sense that there are sparkly drapes and tiaras strewn everywhere, instead it comes from the fact the walls are painted a very girly lilac pink colour. Other than that you will find a bar by the entrance, pine flooring throughout, plenty of mirrors, a piano and an exposed kitchen service point at the rear. Grab a seat by the front windows and, if the temperature permits, the windows will be thrust open to allow a gentle breeze to waft its way in. As the restaurant is slightly below street level, the view from these seats is akin to the one a football manager gets in a dugout: you see things from the ground up.

The Atmosphere
If you’re the sort of person who values good service then Pasha should be on your radar. The staff here are warm, friendly and passionate about their business. No soulless, perfunctory chain vibes here, thank you very much. Children, it seems, are very welcome, and enough of the patrons have a rapport with the staff to convince you that Pasha has already become a firm favourite with Wappingites. At weekends you may even be treated to some classical music courtesy of a nimble-fingered pianist, something that’s infinitely preferable to the generic mood music piped out of tinny speakers in restaurants across the capital.

The Food
Pasha’s speciality is without doubt its Turkish recipes, although the menu is by no means exclusively dedicated to this type of cuisine – there are pizzas, steaks, full English breakfasts, and even Sunday roast dinners available. The logic of not making the most of the traditional offerings at a restaurant like Pasha is a flawed one; it’s akin to ordering chips instead of chapati at an Indian restaurant. A good place to start at Pasha is their mezze-style dishes. Add the fact that you will be offered big, puffy Turkish bread, served with a butter that has crushed olives in it, as well as a sample of their Turkish pizza, before the starters arrive, and you really should err on the side of caution when ordering, or face becoming full up very quickly. There are many familiar dishes, such as hummus, falafel and calamari, but two very fine picks from this list are the imam bayaldi and icli kofte (both £4). One is a an aubergine dish that’s oven baked, giving the aubergine a pulped texture and a smoky flavour, whilst the kofte is deep fried bulgur wheat with a wonderfully seasoned minced lamb that’s richly infused with garlic and herbs.

A huge array of mains are on offer. These range from the Italian and Turkish pizzas (£7.50) to 28-day aged Scottish steaks (£16.50). Pescarians will be buoyed by the fact that there about ten fish options, but if you’re looking to get lucky and pick the most gratifying dish, head straight for incik kebabi, aka kleftiko. The slow-cooked lamb shank arrives as a huge meaty cut with the bone protruding upwards out of the plump lamb. This impressive juicy piece of meat sits on top of buttery mash potato, with a full bodied sauce made up of tomatoes, red wine and bay leaves providing a wonderful base. At £10.50 this dish is the sort of thing to have you salivating at the mere memory of it.

From the grills section, a mixed grill (£13) combines charred lamb pieces, chicken chunks, spicy lamb sausage and lamb chops. It’s served with a small mound of rice, salad and a little side plate of chilli sauce that gives the meat a little extra moisture. Parts of the grill, such as the lamb chops and kofte, are better than others - the fairly bland chicken. Because of the excellence of the incik kebabi, the mixed grill pales a little in comparison. Puddings are pretty standard fare. There are profiteroles, baklava, that sort of thing. Whilst they are decent, you get the feeling that Pasha’s signature dishes are found amongst the starters and the mains.

The Drink
The wine list is an international affair, it jets its way from France and Spain to the Lebanon, before going long-haul to Australia and Argentina. Bottles of red and white start at a reasonable £12.50, with the most expensive on each section still coming in at less than £20. Out of the reds, the Mosaic Syrah-Cinsault-Cabernet Sauvignon from the Lebanon is a delightful tipple. Available by the glass (£3.95) and the bottle (£15.75), this is an intense red that fuses different grapes to create an intoxicating blend with a spicy edge.

The Last Word
You’ll find impeccable service, good value food and drink, and authentic cooking at Pasha.

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