Yesim Bakery & Café – Narborough Road Leicester

Now, I have heard good things about this place, so when I arranged to meet a friend for lunch this week, I had to give it a go. And I have to say it didn’t disappoint!

From the moment I walked through the doors, Yesim began its assault on my foodie senses. The smell of freshly baked pastries and eastern spices immediately started wafting up my nose. I instantly felt warm and relaxed, a sensation created by the Turkish lamps soft lighting, the rustic wood interior and the lovely little seating area at the back, made cosy from the authentic carpets and piles of colourful cushions. As I wandered further in, my eyes lit up with what was contained in the large display fridge running through the café.  It was filled with all sorts of interesting Turkish delights, including breads, Turkish pizza, börek (savoury pastries fillings with minced meat, cheese, spinach, poultry, fish and other vegetables), meze, sweet pastries, baklava and cookies (kurabiye).

Well, as you can imagine, I was beside myself with excitement. The waiter kindly described every item in the fridge and I selected as many of them as possible for our lunch.  Shortly after, they were brought to our table and laid out in front of us, like a feast, ready for us to share.  It was absolutely delicious. Familiar food and familiar flavours but combined and served in new and interesting ways.

The meal itself represented excellent value for money. I was full to bursting (to the extent that I couldn’t even squeeze in one of the terribly tempting cookies or sweet pastries) and all for just £7 per person (including a drink).

So, if you fancy something a little different for lunch I would most definitely recommend that you head to Yesim. It might only be lunch, but it’s going on the recommendation list!