A NEW High Street Turkish restaurant has thrown open its doors after a glitzy launch event featuring live music and huge platters of mouth-watering food. 

Lalezar is the newest addition to Rayleigh High Street after bosses revamped the former Riva Meze Bar following its closure in June. 

The restaurant, which offers a sit-down Turkish meze and grill to customers, held a grand-opening event on Tuesday attended by dozens of customers, including Rochford Council chair Sarah-Jane Page.

The grand opening event saw guests treated with a range of Turkish food, from kebabs to sweeping salad platters, as they were entertained with live music by musician Taylor Stanley. 

Sleek redesign - Lalezar in Rayleigh High Street Sleek redesign - Lalezar in Rayleigh High Street (Image: KERRY GREEN) Team - Suleyman Koca and his team Team - Suleyman Koca and his team (Image: KERRY GREEN)


Ms Page said: “They have done a good job of refitting the restaurant, it is comfortable and a lot of people really do support it and their signature dishes are back on the menu.

“The owner, Suleyman Koca, is a remarkable man and he has other successful businesses as well.

“The platters of food coming out of the kitchen to guests were insane.

Freshly prepared - The restaurant is open plan in the new redesign Freshly prepared - The restaurant is open plan in the new redesign (Image: KERRY GREEN) Ribbon cutting - Councillor Sarah-Jane Page and Suleyman cut the ribbon Ribbon cutting - Councillor Sarah-Jane Page and Suleyman cut the ribbon (Image: KERRY GREEN)

 “It is really innovative and it brings something new to the High Street – they had live entertainment which was well-received and other than the Half Moon Pub, we don’t really have somewhere like that that gives entertainment while you dine.

“We have lost quite a lot of them.” 

Kerry Green, a Thundersley-based photographer who captured images of the event, also praised the restaurant, calling the atmosphere on the night “great”.

 

Cocktail bar - Cocktails being prepared at the bar Cocktail bar - Cocktails being prepared at the bar (Image: KERRY GREEN) Performer - Taylor Stanley Performer - Taylor Stanley (Image: KERRY GREEN) Great evening - guests enjoy their drinks at Lalezar Great evening - guests enjoy their drinks at Lalezar (Image: KERRY GREEN)

She said: “They couldn’t have picked better customers to come down, it was a great atmosphere and the decoration in there is amazing, it really makes you want to go in there.

“It is a delightful restaurant and the staff in there are really lovely, it is open-plan so you can see what they are cooking in there which is nice.”

A statement from the business as the bosses closed it for renovation cited the “30 years of experience across the UK” that would be going into Lalezar, its decoration and new menu additions.