Takeaway review: Trying out Jaffa’s in Friargate

As one half of a vegan/carnivore couple, it’s always good to have takeaway options that cater to both sets of requirements.

There are plenty of takeaways in Preston we could use, if I was willing to eat chips on every occasion. I mean, I love chips as much as the next person (actually, I love them a lot more than the next person) – but variety is the spice of life and all that.

So Jaffa Mediterranean Restaurant on Friargate is a much-welcomed addition to the takeaway list.

We go on a Saturday night. We’re on the way home from seeing family and going out later to see friends. Driving past Friargate and the lure of an easy tea becomes too much to resist.

The restaurant space in Jaffa is, as per the couple of times I’ve visited in the past, a hive of activity that’s verging on chaotic. Most tables are taken in the eclectic and somewhat haphazard seating area. The open kitchen is buzzing, and the sizzling sounds and tempting smells are evocative of a faraway land.

We place our order and take the chance to people watch Jaffa’s diverse set of diners. One thing a lot of them do have visibly in common is the huge amounts of food in front of them. That’s good – we’re hungry.

We get our food after a 15 minute wait, which is more than reasonable considering everything is being freshly cooked. Luckily we only have a five minute drive home to endure the torture of being able to smell the food but not eat it.

Once inside we unpack the food and, as we suspected, there is a lot of it.

I’ve ordered a few bits and bobs – falafel, houmous and pitta bread, and tabbouleh. The portions are so generous that I only put half of everything on my plate, and save the rest for the following day. To be honest this amount of houmous should probably last me a week – if only it wasn’t so bloody tasty.

The falafel is a different texture to any I have tried before. It’s rather crispy on the outside and if anything a little dry for my taste. But at least it gives my partner chance to make his favourite joke when I ask if he’d like some. “No thanks,” he replies, “It makes me falafel”.

The tabbouleh is a triumph, but I’ll steal AllanFromPreston’s assessment from Trip Advisor to explain why: “It’s everything tabbouleh should be – sharp, aromatic and so green.” The unexpected side salad is a lovely extra that freshens up the rest of my plate.

My partner is also on the road to veganism, but it’s a longer road for him, and tonight he’s having the meat feast pizza. He’s a pizza fanatic, but Jaffa manage to satisfy his high standards with their thinnish dough, tasty sauce and plentiful toppings of cheese, pepperoni, spicy beef and chicken.

Our bill came in at under £20, and based on the quality and quantity of the food, we’re happy.

Jaffa currently sits at number three in Trip Advisor’s list of Preston restaurants, and appears first in the cheap eats department. Next time we indulge our annoyingly different takeaway needs, Jaffa is likely to top our list too.

Have you had takeaway from Jaffa? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below.