Spinners [Closed]

One great thing about Sendai is the availability of food from different countries. Obviously there isn't the selection that Tokyo can boast, and some cuisines are more common than others. Chinese, Italian and Indian restaurants can be found almost everywhere, but occasionally you can find something a little different.

Featuring a generous offering of Turkish delights, Spinners is a recently opened partner to the larger Middle Mix in the Kokubuncho area. It's mostly the same, but with less belly dancing. There's also less room – squeezed into a small space between two other businesses, you have to turn sideways to get through the door. However, I didn't find the space inconvenient until some of the other customers started smoking, and I had to share the limited air supply.

If you'd prefer to eat in the open air, they offer a take out kebab sandwich. You can choose from a variety of sauces, such as yoghurt or something more spicy. Inside, there's a much wider menu, including cocktails and other alcohol in the evening.

A clear effort has been made to create a Turkish atmosphere. There's a TV showing Turkish Cartoon Network, the background music is almost all Turkish and the decorations are, too. To call over your server, there are bells on the tables, a clear departure from Japanese custom. Most of the staff are friendly, and at least one speaks some English if you're struggling to communicate. It shouldn't be a problem, though: the menu features both pictures and English. The food here costs more than average, which is probably due to importing ingredients. The portions aren't huge, either, so it isn't the best place for a filling meal.

But happy to be able to eat falafel again, I ordered the falafel sandwich. It comes as separate ingredients – pita bread, salad, dressing/sauce and potato slices – and you can make up the sandwich to your liking. Not much will fit in the small pita, but you can easily eat everything else together. My favorite part was the dressing, which was rather moreish. I came back another time to try the halloumi. I can't say how authentic it was, but I felt that it was served with too much olive oil. My friend also found the seasoning of the Israel salad to be lacking in comparison to what she's had before.

Spinners is a nice place to go for a quick snack (as long as you don't have claustrophobia). It's also great if you're struggling to find vegetarian options (the falafel are great), but some things on the menu are better than others. My main problem is that it's a smoking restaurant, but it's not quite enough to stop me from going again.