I love travelling far and wide for a meal-it’s part of the whole adventure of food. However there are times when you just want a minimum of fuss. These times usually come about when one is pressed for time or when your friend has a new baby and of course can’t travel very far!
Christie and I were meeting up for lunch one day and as a Marrickville local she has partaken of a bountiful breakfast here at Celini’s. There are Turkish rugs on the tables and lots of warm wood and velvets in some settings while others are more regular cafe looking tables and chairs in others. Service is really wonderful and genuinely welcoming from the staff. And if it looks like we ordered a lot, it’s because we did-we did so with the intention of taking it home so we wouldn’t have to cook in the heat! 
Ayran $4
I start with an Ayran which is a slightly salty yogurt drink which is more watery than a lassi. The first time I tried it years ago I wasn’t smitten but once you expect the slight saltiness it’s very good.
Celini’s meze for two $20
The meze for two features two dips which we were able to select and we Christie chose the carrot and I chose the hommous. True to our selection we preferred the dips that we chose-the carrot has slight tangyness to it whilst the hommous is creamy and smokey and thick. It comes with warm, slender batons of soft Turkish bread, stuffed vine leaves, some gorgeous cheese filled lady finger deep fried pastries, creamy herb topped feta and halved fried button mushrooms flavoured with oregano.
Iskender kebab $19
Christie and I both adore Iskender kebab. Here it is made with succulent lamb rather than doner kebab meat which it sometimes is made with. The lamb, yogurt sauce and tomato salsa sits onto cubes of toasted Turkish bread so that the flavour seeps through the bread. I particularly like the soft meat and the tangy yogurt sauce and tomato salsa.
Manti $19
Manti are Turkish beef filled dumplings like small tortellini cooked al dente and drenched in a yogurt and tereyag which is unsalted butter cooked with oregano. They’re addictive little things and the creamy yogurt gives it a nice alternative creaminess.
Mixed grill plate $25
The mixed grill has three types of meat on a charcoal skewer with a beef, chicken and a lamb kofte with sumac onions, mixed salad and red rice. The pick is the chicken which is made up of large pieces of thigh meat and is smokey and succulent. I didn’t particularly go for the beef or the lamb kofte as much though as they weren’t quite as tender.
So we did intend to take away a lot more but as it happens we were both hungry. We did take a box of food away for each of us and they were happy to do it. Sadly we didn’t quite have the stomach space to try another one of their specialities: the baklava which is one of those things that I could eat a tray of.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you sometimes over order? And do you do it with the intention of taking some away or do you do it because you like to try different things?
Hello Poppy! And check out Christie’s new mummy blog, Poppy Seed Baby! Named after you guessed it, this little miss!
Celini’s
220 Marrickville Road, Marrickville, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9569 4848
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43 Comments | Add your own
We have a quite high Turkish population here in Germany but I am only familiar with Turkish Doener Kebab (I really should widen my horizon in this aspect…;)!!)
Poppy is a gorgeous little thing! Aww. Nice looking manti dumplings too. Mmmm.
That looks soooooo yummy!! And yup we always over order
Did you say it’s hot in Sydney…? It’s still cold here!!
I’m not usually the take it home wifh me person, that’s how I was brought up. But now adays that concept often works out well, especially when my little girl doesn’t touch her food ( eats my meal instead !! )
What a cute little bub! We often over order when trying a new restaurant for the first time – I just like to try everything! We do try to take it home too – Ben’s lunches the next few days
I have never heard of Ayran – looks interesting!!
Heidi xo
Question: Things have obviously changed but can someone tell why and how. Some years ago IN PERTH yes I know…. It was “Illegal” to supply Doggy Bags from restaurants. Can someone tell me how these rules were put into place and are now no longer relevant.???
We had an anniversary dinner there one year – food was delicious! I loved the dips!
Great article Lorraine! On the day it seemed like so much food, but in the photos it looks much smaller! Rest assured readers, the portions are quite big!
Thanks to everyone for your lovely comments about beautiful little Poppy.
You make me want to move to Australia…yum.
Delicious as usual.
Nice homely restaurant, but little Poppy’s lovely picture kind’of takes one’s mind off the food!
Would you believe there was a time I’d tell the wellmeaning waiters – no thanks, no doggie bag, didn’t have one at home!!!
Yes, we’ve often overordered, but more to be able to try various interesting offerings than to take them home. ‘Tis a wonder how one’s tum seems to expand anyways, especially with a glass of wine and in good company!
Whenever I get a doggie bag it gets put in the fridge and somehow turns into science experiment!
Good looking food. Oh for some warm weather and authentic Turkish food.
Oooh, yum, I LOVE Iskander! One of the best things about working in Auburn!
I over order a LOT – to try everything of course! If I loved it and it doesn’t need reheating (because I don’t own a microwave) I’ll take it home.
I am a serious over-order offender. I do it cause I like to try lots of things and my eyes are bigger than my belly!
I presume Jamie O has been sent the delightful Poppy photo? He is a wonderful father and a very kind man!!!? Something to wet the babe’s head? (I’ve said nuttin’!) Good luck to ‘Poppy Seed Baby’!!
Looks like a great place!
I try not to over order…particularly because I find in Australia they aren’t always happy to let you take the food back with you!
Poppy is just such a cutie. The food all looks amazing. I am known for asking for the dessert menu before I even look at the main. I need to know what to leave room for! Most time though my eyes are bigger than my stomach and I over-order. Sometimes everything just looks so good.
Mmmm I love turkish food and open kebabs are the way to go -it’s impossible to eat a wrapped kebab tidily!
I love to try different things, so often end up with leftovers that I always bring home.
Some places will refuse to give one though, as once the food is off the premises, there is no way of telling if it’s in a safe food environment or temperature and if a patron becomes ill from consuming that food later, the balme may still be laid at the restaurants door.
I don’t know which is cuter — the bay or the Turkish dumplings!
I like Turkish food, and this looks like a nice selection. I don’t over order because I am scared that I’ll go to town on it. Poppy is adorable!
Everything is so colourful! The decor and the food, that is. I also love that there’s a name for cooked butter
I recently had this sweet/salty yoghurt lassie drink…very biazarre, it wasn’t even pleasantly different..just odd. I’m thinking yours tasted alot better than mine. The manti sounds amazing!
I love Iskender kebab. The first time I tried it was in Broken Hill and I was devastated when the place closed down as it was a 13 hour drive to the next Iskender kebab I knew about. Sad.
We only order what we’re going to eat at the restaurant…otherwise we’d end up eating all there and risk bursting tummies in the car on the way home.
It’s really a shame that you live in Sydney :S I can’t go to most of the restaurants you blog about!! I guess looking at the photos will suffice for now..
I totally over order all the time, because I always over estimate my appetite and I’m such a glut so I get appealed by everything on the menu :S not a good habit!
Lovely selection of foods! I love ordering extra so we can take away stuff for later as it extends the time of enjoying a delicious meal that you don’t have to make!
How lovely, I totally dig the no fuss feeds, in fact they are often the places I remember most. This place looks wonderful.
that manti looks awesome =)
I often over order, but this is due to my eyes being bigger than my stomach! The manti looks lovely. How cute is the darling Poppy!
This food is just like the Persian Room at Pyrmont. I was very happily given a take away after an excessive order not once but twice. However I found the lamb and beef there to be more tender than the chicken! Crazy. They also serve pomegranite juice which is apparently traditional. Mmmm.
Oops, forgot above the Saffron and Rose Water ice cream at dessert – I too skip to the punch line sometimes before ordering mains!
Looks like a great place to have a casual lunch with some friends. I want to try the cheese filled lady finger pastries please.
Poppy is adorable and I love that name
Nowadays, I try not to over order (due to expanding waistline lol ) but if I’ve enjoyed the meal, I’ll earmark it for next time to try other dishes on the menu.
i like the foam on the ayran !pierre
After my disgusting dinner of fish and chips I am wishing I went for some hummus and turkish bread now.
Salty yoghurt drink?? Interesting.
“Manti are Turkish beef filled dumplings”
I need to eat this immediately! xxxx Oh, MY!
I love Marrickville! Its such a mecca for international cuisine.
I have to say I am quite partial to a good Iskender too and love that the lamb is used there. Oh yum!
Poppy is TOO cute!!!
awww, how cute is Poppy Seed!!! such a cute name as well
We try not to order too much, as I know that I can’t eat a lot in one sitting. You can’t help but over order when it comes to turkish food though, cause I always fill up on the breads and dips!
what a cute little human! the food looks outstanding too–you’ve depicted some of my favorite ethnic foods here! it’s a shame you weren’t able to try the baklava. mmm. baklava.
I have to say first that Poppy is the cutest…how precious is she! Great delicious place to visit. Thee Iskinder kebabs have caught my fancy … nom nom nom! I am in love with Turkish food!
Oh wow, what a great find in Marrickville. I think a brunch here is in order as we usually visit the grandparents on the weekend and the ‘ville is a second home!
Im very curious to try the Ayran!
awww poppy is adorable! i drive past Celini’s every single day, but have never tried it! will have to remember it for next time!
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