Dalyan, Ventnor

Meat sandwiches never go out of favour. Everyone has their chosen place to ‘grab’ a ‘cheeky’ bite, whether it’s Burger King, Wimpy (if you can find one) and, of course, the world’s most pervasive fast food brand, McDonald’s. So ubiquitous are the Golden Arches that post-lockdown it seemed that the world and his muffin-starved wife couldn’t get to Ryde’s drive-thru Maccy D’s quick enough; cars blocked its A3055 entrance as punters queued to fill their faces with a legendary Big Mac – before Bojo sent us all home again.

Discounting fish and chips, we’re more of a finger lickin’ pair when it comes to takeaway. KFC has traditionally been our go-to of the few multinational nammet conglomerates on the Island. But if you want to support a more local chain, then Dalyan is a worthy contender.

Although not technically a burger joint, the friendly team at Dalyan can still provide you with hunks of meat inside bread – and that’s really what this is all about, ain’t it?

The menu at Dalyan is surprisingly comprehensive, with a whole page dedicated to pizzas alone, plus their own variations on the meal deal such as kofte or doner wraps, served with chips and a drink. We stuck with the traditional kebab options and, having placed our orders, it wasn’t long before we were handed two boxes, plus napkins and a wooden fork each, to take out into Ventnor’s early evening sunshine.

Opening our parcels on a sunny bench, we discovered two types of meal (as ordered). Cat had stayed completely on-menu, requesting a standard kebab with a side order of chips. This turned out to be a very hearty portion indeed. The better option, if you want to concentrate on the meat and greens, is to order your kebab without pitta, and with the chips inside the box, making a reasonable meal without the surfeit of carbs.

Cat’s chicken shish kebab consisted of pieces of breast meat which tasted like they had been marinated in garlic and chilli plus a few herbs. The spices infused the grilled meat very satisfyingly, giving it the edge over the Colonel’s secret blend of herbs and spices. And being grilled rather than deep-fried, was a healthier choice too.

Of course, we couldn’t go into Dalyan without sampling meat sliced from the doner. The vertical rotisserie of seasoned lamb is the symbol of traditional Turkish kebabs. This was a more succulent option than the shish, as the giant cone contains more fat (and other ingredients) than the skewered kebab. This method of cooking the meat gives it a lot of flavour, and we found it delicious. We had the doner kebab without pitta bread and with the chips included in the box rather than as a separate portion. It meant fewer fries, but that was not a bad thing; there was still plenty of food in the compostable carton.

Both kebabs were served with a reasonable selection of crispy shredded vegetables: red onion, cabbage, iceberg lettuce and quartered tomatoes. For dressing, there was a good range of condiments; several mayonnaise options – Cat had garlic – plus sweet chilli sauce, and salt and vinegar for the chips.

Our meats were succulent and tasty, vegetables commendably fresh, and the chips – although rather generic – were plentiful and hot. And, unlike a regular chippy, we had salad as standard with our meals.

Daylan has been serving up kebabs to hungry Islanders for years. The service was efficient and, as a side note, the venue has five stars for hygiene. A decade after our first review (of their Shanklin branch) we are still impressed with this classic fast food. A very happy meal.

This is the full-length version of a review that was printed in the Isle of Wight County Press.