I’ve been wanting to try Göktas, a Turkish restaurant in Sindelfingen, for at least a year now.  Ever since someone in one of the local Facebook groups recommended it, I’ve been intrigued by the place. On Christmas Day, the folks at Göktas offered a “meat night”.  Basically, it was a big buffet offered for the low price of 14,90 euros.  I had wanted to go on Christmas; their Facebook photos of the food looked so good!  But then I decided I’d rather enjoy the holiday at home in my nightie.

Well, the meat night went so well on Christmas that Göktas offered another one tonight.  I don’t know if they did it because of Epiphany or just because their other buffet was so successful.  But now that I’ve finally tried the place and enjoyed the food, I can see why so many people– mostly Turkish– flock there.

Bill made reservations for 6:30pm.  The buffet started at 5:00.  By the time we got there, it was pretty packed and all of the tables were reserved.  I can’t say the interior of the restaurant is anything fancy.  When we walked in, it was obvious that Göktas is the kind of place where people come in for a casual lunch.  Turkish pop played over the sound system and there was a very extensive buffet set up with chicken, beef, rice, and plenty of salads.  No alcoholic beverages were available, but there were plenty of non alcoholic beverages including ayran (a yogurt drink), hot tea, sodas, water, and juice.  This restaurant also offers breakfast and there’s a bakery in the back dining room.

A table was quickly cleared for us and we simply helped ourselves to the colorful feast before us.  Not only was the food delicious, it was also a very nice change of pace.  I made a mental note to try different restaurants in 2018… something other than Italian, Greek, and German.

Things were swinging tonight!

Bill tries to figure out what to do.

Very fresh bread, grilled chicken breast, chicken wings, rice, grilled peppers, and salad…  The chicken was especially good.  It had that “cooked over the fire” taste.  My only complaint is that the food wasn’t very hot.  I always get nervous when I eat chicken that isn’t either chilled or hot. 

And beef, pommes, and tabbouleh (buckwheat with mint)…  We only managed one plate each, though there were plenty of choices, many of which were meatless.  We washed our dinner down with Coca-Cola…

After dinner, we had tea and a couple of rolls.  One was basically like unsweetened fried bread and the other had some kind of soft, mild cheese in it.  The tea was pretty strong and unsweetened.  Bill later figured out that he was supposed to dilute it with hot water to taste.

Many tables were full like this one… with many people enjoying friends, family, and lots of food.  Most everyone there was Turkish and some were dressed elaborately.  It was definitely interesting from a cultural standpoint.

 

I would recommend Göktas if you’re looking for something different… inexpensive food that is very well-prepared.  I might not recommend this restaurant if you are looking for quiet, intimacy, or high frills dining.  It’s strictly a casual place for family and friends and it’s somewhat chaotic when a buffet is offered.  It’s also very kid friendly; lots of young children were there enjoying the extravaganza.

I got the sense that on a normal night, you’d order what you want at the counter and pay before you sit down.  Tonight, we ate and paid after we were finished.  The whole experience took less than an hour, too.

I think the buffet at Göktas is much less chaotic and obnoxious than the “American buffet” at Restaurant Waldachtal was.  It’s also slightly less expensive.  I would highly recommend making reservations, especially if there’s another “meat night”.  It’s obvious word has gotten out about this special event, so if you want a table, you should prepare in advance.  We parked in the lot behind the restaurant, but there is also some street parking available.