Looks great but is it like a night in Arabia?

A COUPLE of years ago I was lucky enough to spend the summer living in the fascinating, challenging, all-consuming city of Jerusalem.

Among its many charms was the informal dining culture where friends would get together in the warm evenings to sit and share the classic food of the Middle East – hummus, falafel, grilled meats flavoured with wonderful spices and much more.

The outdoor restaurant and café terraces, particularly in Arab East Jerusalem and the Old City, filled with the fruity scent of shisha pipes and the harsh aroma of the richest coffee, were a joy to experience.

You can imagine my excitement therefore when I saw the first signs that Swindon was to get its own Middle Eastern-themed restaurant in Old Town’s Victoria Road.

Arabian Nights opened a few months ago now and I had been waiting restlessly for the opportunity to sample what it had to offer.

It promised Lebanese cuisine and Swindon’s only outdoor heated shisha terrace to boot.

But so often these dining destinations can offer so much, an authentic taste of a far-away land, only to disappoint.

So it was with great hopes, but more than a little apprehension, that I rounded up the Adver’s trusty taste test trio (this time with the addition of two special guests) to find out what Arabian Nights had to offer.

On arrival we were met by the friendly front of house team who showed us to a table towards the back on the rather compact venue.

With a quick glance at the drinks menu it soon became apparent that this was a non-alcoholic establishment, and unlike some other such restaurants there was no sign that a ‘bring your own beer’ policy was in place.

But that didn’t really matter in the end. With an array of soft drinks, juices, smoothies and fresh non-alcoholic cocktails, there is a wide enough selection to satisfy most diners.

Of course there are also the classic staple hot drinks of the region, the aforementioned strong coffee as well as teas – mint being the go-to variety.

We enjoyed our drinks as we looked through the extensive menu of cold and hot mezze choices displayed in English and in their original Arabic.

I opted for a classic, falafel served with a tahini sauce (£4.25). Adver_Stephen went for the Sambousek Cheese, mozzarella with mixed herbs stuffed into a thin Lebanese pastry (£5.25).

Adver_Tom, ever the adventurous chap, opted for the Calamari which was, well, calamari (£5.75).

Our guests for the evening Adver_Gill and Former_Adver_Pauline, both chose aubergine based dishes, the classic Baba Ghanouj and the less well known Moutabal (both £4.25).

I also ordered a Tahini salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, parsley, mint, pickles, mixed peppers, chilies – in a tahini dressing) for us all to share (£4.95).

Of course we had to have some fresh pitta too as well as some grilled haloumi for good measure (£4.25).

The dipping, tearing and sharing quality of Middle Eastern food is what makes the dining experience so informal and friendly and at Arabian Nights it was no different.

Our starters arrived in good time and we set about discovering what Moutabal was all about (it’s a sort of aubergine dipping dish with a texture half way between hummus and yoghurt), taking turns at the Baba Ghanouj, appreciating the soft falafel and still wondering why Adver_Tom chose calamari.

The bread was nothing to write home about but perfectly adequate for mopping up the various dishes on the table.

The haloumi on the other hand was a real treat – so often these days it turns out to be a bland rubbery pellet of overcooked nothingness but here it was soft, moist enough to retain flavour but lightly charred to give a great grilled taste.

Starters down, five thumbs up!

Now onto the main courses where the menu offers a choice of grilled meat dishes served with rice or chips, some fish and vegetarian options, a variety of large mixed platters, as well as wraps and burgers.

As is to be expected, lamb and chicken - in various guises - are the stars of the show.

I went for the chicken shawarma (£9.95). A close relation of the kebab, shawarma also consists of slices of meat grilled on an upright spit. But this is no greasy donner, the meat was tender and well-seasoned and garnished with grilled onions, peppers and tomatoes.

There was a roasted flavour that your average kebab shop vendor, at least on these shores, doesn’t even come close to. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Both Adver_Tom and Adver_Stephen were lured in by the mixed grill (£12.95). One for the meat lovers, the dish consists of Lebanese-style grilled chicken, marinated lamb and minced lamb kofta with a side salad and a choice of rice or chips.

It went down a treat with both of my taste test counterparts – Stephen said it “ticked every box”, adding that the meat was “tender and had a wonderful aroma of being fresh from the grill.”

Tom agreed, describing the chicken as “succulent” and the lamb as “perfectly seasoned.”

Our special guests opted for wraps. Adver_Gill choosing one that was falafel filled and Former_Adver_Pauline going for the shawarma and hummus variety (both £4.95).

Both went down very well, more than ample in size and well filled in a way that their modest price tag may not initially have suggested.

We cleared our plates and sat full and content, all agreeing we would be recommending this new restaurant to friends and colleagues.

On that first visit we simply didn’t have time to venture out back into the shisha lounge, but we enjoyed the experience so much that three of us returned at a later date and took our seats outside on the heated terrace.

Completely covered to protect diners from the elements above and encased on three sides in colourful fabric to keep out the wind, the outdoor lounge is fitted with powerful heaters and provides an equally comfortable addition to the inside dining space.

It was raining consistently during our visit and but for the pitter patter of drops on the cover above, we would not have known.

Again it isn't a large area, but the seats are comfortable and the distinctive fruity smell of the shisha pipes and the glow of the hot coals only adds to the atmosphere.

The shisha menu is extensive and has flavours ranging from double apple, to mint, watermelon, peach and many others too.

Priced at £13.95 for almost all flavours it isn’t as cheap as you might find in London where shisha lounges are more commonplace, but it does make a distinctive change from the average Swindon social evening.

So, to bring this review back to where it started. Did Old Town’s Arabian Nights transport me back to the Middle East and recreate the unique experience and atmosphere of a genuine Arab restaurant?

Nearly, but not quite.

But is it a great new addition to the Swindon dining scene, offering tasty and authentic food set in a cosy and comfortable venue with helpful and enthusiastic staff on hand to make the experience even more enjoyable?

Yes, absolutely it is.

Address: 94 Victoria Road, Swindon, SN1 3BD

Telephone number: 01793 333000

Website: www.arabian-nights.co.uk

Parking: Pay and display car park across the road.

Disabled access: Yes

Our ratings:

Food: 9/10

Choice: 9/10

Decor: 9/10

Customer Service: 9/10

Trip Advisor rating: 4/5