If those summer holidays already seem like a lifetime ago, a visit to Lara Meze Bar and Restaurant in High Road, North Finchley, should bring back memories of the Mediterranean flooding back.

Specialising in Turkish cuisine, Lara Meze is a bright and stylish place to enjoy a meal.

All dishes are made on the premesis using fresh ingredients and cooked over a real charcoal grill which imparts a really authentic flavour.

Hussain, Lara Meze's owner, points out that this style of cooking is particularly healthy, making use of fresh vegetables and grilling food rather than frying in large amounts of oil.

The restaurant which is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, offers a mixture of traditional Turksih meze and main course dishes as well as fresh grilled fish such as sea bass, salmon or dover sole.

But the house speciality is the set meze menu, a mix of four hot and eight cold meze, followed by a mixed grill platter as a main course, then fresh fruit and finally, coffee - great value at £13.50 per person (minimum of two people).

I chose to sample some of the fantastic meze dishes, including the sunshine-infused flavours of the imam bayildi (oven-roasted aubergine, stuffed with onions, tomatoes and peppers). I also tried the home made falafel, a traditional Mediterranean recipe of ground chick peas, herbs and spices which arrived, crisply toasted on the outside, with light, fluffy centres - perfect for dipping in to the creamy hummus. Also highly recommended are the borek, triangles of fried filo pastry filled with spinach and feta cheese. These make a great accompaniment to the karisik kizartma, (griddled vegetables served with yoghurt and a rich tomato sauce) and the traditional Turkish sucuk sausage which was served thinly sliced and grilled over charcoal for a really intense flavour.

With a fantastic menu and friendly atmosphere, Lara Meze Bar and Restaurant is a great choice whether you want a light lunch or a long leisurely dinner with friends.

The restaurant can also cater parties of up to 50 people and is now taking bookings for Christmas.

Take away also available.

Lara Meze
880 High Road
North Finchley
London, N12 9RH
Tel: 020 8445 2230