Salinas Restaurant

What a shame! One of our favourite local restaurants (and there aren't many great ones), Salinas is not the same. Not sure what happened, but the menu has changed for sure. We tried ordering several items from their take away menu - and the response was "we don't have that anymore" to at least 3/4. I called 3 times after 6pm to place the order before anyone bothered to answer. When we went to collect the food, they were 10 minutes late, and the food could not feed all of us - the portions have shrunk dramatically, but the prices have risen! We were so surprised when we opened the boxes that we called thinking something was missing. Nothing was! The chicken was tender and okra tasty, but the rest was poor quality and didn't feed half of us. That was a very disappointing and expensive take away. In future, we sadly go elsewhere.

Martin (Unverified), 07/05/11

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Having frequented the Didcot Salina's coffee shop, we last week held a work meeting in Abingdon Salinas, and were again very impressed.

We each paid £5 for the light-lunch mezza which included 5 dishes. (Vegetarians and 'no dairy' were accommodated without hesitation.)

Children's options were noted on the menu, and a small child on a nearby table, proudly announced 'yummy, I finished it all!' to our table upon leaving. Recommendation enough I'd say.

This is also one of the few places where you can get a decent coffee in Abingdon (and Didcot) without crossing the corporate threshold. If you're an Expresso lover, try the Lebanese Coffee for a shot of earthy heaven.

The service was unobtrusive, and friendly, with an intimate and authentic atmosphere, Lebanese music playing in the background.

The Abingdon restaurant is more formal than Didcot which has more of a 'coffee shop' feel, and offers a variety of cakes (including Baklava) baked potato, baguettes / paninis, alongside Chef's special soups and mezzeh lunches. Both venues are licensed offering Lebanese wine and beer, and both also share in friendly accommodating service, and authentic atmosphere. Children are always made especially welcome (something when experienced, serves to highlight how unaccommodating cafes/restaurants can be to little ones) and having attended with people with disability, I can vouch for staff assisting with accessibility where necessary.

Having eaten at the Didcot Salinas in a large evening party, booked by friends back briefly into the county who 'just had to go to Salinas, I can verify the quality of the ingredients at both locations.

Salinas is a rare find, a family run restaurant that serves good quality, fresh food at affordable prices, without compensating amiable service.

Coffee-Fiend (Unverified), 12/02/11

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Delicious, despite not quite understanding what we were ordering (except whether or not it was vegetarian - that is clearly marked on the menu), but it all tasted great. It did get very full (Saturday night), even upstairs.

TH (Unverified), 24/10/09

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We only recently discovered this place. It is now our favourite restaurant in Abingdon. The food, which I'd describe to people who aren't familiar with Lebanese style cooking, as a mix between Turkish and Greek, is very well cooked with loads of flavour and variety. The service is spot on and I must comment on the Lebanese wine which is a delight. Get yourself along, you won't regret it.

Nick & Donna (Unverified), 24/12/08

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We went to Salinas last Friday, and - wow!! What a transformation. The head chef has taken over the business, and what else could you ask for - the food was already good, but now it is really really good! It's versatile too. The sea bass with pomegranate molasses was perfect, as were the calamari and the baby aubergines stuffed with walnuts. Plenty of food and great service - and at the end the chef came out and gave us a very tasty cocktail drink made from kiwi, lime and arak - Wow!

100% recommended.

tom & patricia (Unverified), 21/04/08

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Last Friday we went to Salinas Restaurant in Abingdon - we had been there before and it gets better every time. As usual we had one of the set menus ( there are at least 4 or 5 different ones), and appart from the loads of different flavours, from the typical falafel, houmous,etc.. you get Armenian sausages and halloumi cheese in bread cooked in the charcoal grill - it is fantastic!! After all the tapas-like starters (mezze) you are presented with either a substantial mixed grill, served with rice and grilled salad, or a vegetarian moussaka. Loads of food and very tasty.

But the main thing for us when we go there is that it doesn't matter how busy they are, the couple who own the place always have time to talk to their customers, always asking if everything is ok.
I have to say also that the prices are very reasonable and you have a good selection of fantastic Lebanese wines to choose from...

Definitely recommend it for good food and fantastic service.

Nick & Carmen (Unverified), 30/10/07

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Of the forty or so restaurants in Abingdon, this family-run Lebanese restaurant is particularly to be recommended. We went as a party of four on a Saturday evening and found the service excellent, quick and friendly. The restaurant is split into three sections and is decorated with pictures of Lebanon.

The set meal for the evening at £12.99 a head (which we all had) included seven different hors-d’oeuvres dishes (hot breads, houmous, moutabel, tabouleh, sautéed broad beans, etc.) and a mixed grill (with aubergine moussaka for vegetarians), followed by baklava and superb Lebanese coffee. We were all full by the end of the meal. There is a wide choice of wines and the usual selection of alternative drinks at a reasonable price.

We had been considering going to one of the Cowley Road restaurants and had studied the reviews, but felt that this was probably a much better option.

Arthur (Unverified), 02/09/07

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