The Oak Tree pub in Darlington reopened this September with a brand new look and feel thanks to new Publican Ersim Aydin.
Today (Wednesday, September 9th) it was handed a 5 star food hygiene rating, two weeks after re-launching with a bang.
After taking over the popular Yarm Road pub this June, Ersim and the team have worked hard to bring the pub back to the heart of the community, creating a new aesthetic, new vibe and introducing an all-new Turkish-inspired menu.
Celebrating the good news, Ersim said: “We are so happy to announce that we have achieved a 5* rating on our latest food hygiene inspection. We are so grateful to our guests that stuck by us throughout our transition at the pub, and we hope that many others will join us to try some freshly made and delicious Turkish food.”
The Oak Tree’s new menu boasts traditional dishes stemming back several generations, and has been curated by Ersim and Head Chef Ahmed featuring tasty, authentic dishes of Turkish heritage.
Ersim added: “Since we reopened The Oak Tree we’ve had nothing but positive feedback. Some improvements were needed at the pub, and I had a vision of what I wanted to create from the start, I’m so happy to say that we’ve exceeded all ambitions and I’m delighted that we can offer the community of Darlington something new.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by our guests’ feedback who seem to love not only the new vibe of the pub but also our new menu. Our Head Chef Ahmed is incredibly talented, and I’m proud that we can offer excellent dishes, using local ingredients, made fresh to order.”
The Oak Tree’s new menu boasts an array of dishes, with cold and hot appetizers, mezes, house specials, kebabs and marinated meats cooked fresh on the kitchen’s new charcoal grill.
Dishes from the grill are served with salad and either Turkish-style rice or bulgar wheat and guests can pick from chicken, lamb or steak. Other main dishes include the popular Chicken Kulbasti – chargrilled chicken in a mushroom sauce, Lamb Moussaka and Kleftiko. An array of vegetarian and seafood dishes are also available.
Ersim continued: “The menu was our biggest focus, concentrating on what we know best. There’s still more to learn and I’m sure we will tweak it along the way, but for now, our priority is to deliver exceptional food that our guests enjoy and from the 5-star feedback we’ve received so far, I know we made the right decision!”
Some of their recent reviews include:
“New menu is fantastic, first visit tonight and it won’t be the last.”
“I’ve just had a lovely meal at The Oak Tree Inn, lovely interior, amazing Turkish food, freshly cooked and lovely staff.”
“Second time here and came with another 8 people for a meal. Again, the meals cannot be faulted and everyone I was with thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Aside from the pub’s new food offerings, Ersim wanted to create a new aesthetic at The Oak Tree and has given the pub and restaurant a small revamp which now offers a cosier, warmer aesthetic which is complimented by dark green décor, oak brown furniture and soft furnishings.
The team is encouraging the community and beyond to see the changes and experience the new menu for themselves with bookings now open.
Food is available from 12 noon, seven days a week and more information can be found on the pub’s website and social media channels.