Turkish Antiques Bazaar Evening Silk Road Restaurant, Littlehampton 11 July 2005 |
As 11 July draws closer I think back to the Turkish Antique Bazaar Evening we held at the Silk Road Restaurant in
June of last year.
Customers were greeted by a young Aladdin, with curly feet and a pencilled moustache, mysteriously hidden under
yards of gold turban - hungrily snapping a tenner off everyone who took the plunge and crossed his threshold. They
were swiftly comforted by a complimentary glass of red or white - drawn from the Sultan`s private cellars!
Inside, the Restaurant had been transformed - gone were the tapestry covered dining tables - replaced with a dozen
or so antique stalls wrapped around the restaurant, leaving a space in the middle for some traditional bazaar
entertainment. Each stall had a character of its own - one was covered in a rainbow of the most beautiful glass,
another sold old silver and copperware, yet another was full of crisp white linen and another still was covered with
a stunning array of jewellery. The outside garden was the temporary home for the restaurant tables, as well as all
the Persian carpets, brass tables, candles and cushions.
Then arrived the buffet - into the bar lounge it went - plate after platter of the most appetising and aromatic princely
offerings - the flavoured steam drifting into all corners of the restaurant - unable to catch up with the procession!
Customers queued and feasted outside in a marriage of dusk and weak candlelight, evidence of their successful
bartering skills held maternally near.
Suddenly and without warning, a belly dancer or two burst onto the marbled floor - the Restaurant swelling to the
magnificent sound of drums and the click of brass zills. People sat with spoons suspended between plate and
palate - unable to choose. The dance ended - the crowd cheered - the Chef was cooking again.
Aladdin reappeared, this time carrying a copper tray laden with Apple Tea glasses - his roguish face grudgingly
handing them out - all sweetness at the sight of a coin!
Many people bought, all of them ate, some of them danced. I joined the dozen or so, who didn`t have homes to go to,
in the garden after everybody else had left. It didn`t feel like two o`clock in the morning. Thank you to Lindsey,
Chris, Jean, Laurie, Yasmin, Steph, Val, Ray and all the other 'die hards' for your company and your jokes -
it was well deserved.
(The Antiques Bazaar is run and organised annually by Stephanie Clark of Arun Fairs, who also organises monthly
antiques and collectors' fairs at the Woodlands Centre in Rustington and the Charmandean Centre in Worthing.
The Woodlands Fair is held on the First Sunday of Every Month and is now in it's tenth successful year of trading.
The Charmandean Centre has its fair every two months and is held on the Last Sunday - the next events will be at
the end of May, July, September and November. Please contact the Restaurant for further details and information
regarding dates, stall-holders, availability etc.)
June of last year.
Customers were greeted by a young Aladdin, with curly feet and a pencilled moustache, mysteriously hidden under
yards of gold turban - hungrily snapping a tenner off everyone who took the plunge and crossed his threshold. They
were swiftly comforted by a complimentary glass of red or white - drawn from the Sultan`s private cellars!
Inside, the Restaurant had been transformed - gone were the tapestry covered dining tables - replaced with a dozen
or so antique stalls wrapped around the restaurant, leaving a space in the middle for some traditional bazaar
entertainment. Each stall had a character of its own - one was covered in a rainbow of the most beautiful glass,
another sold old silver and copperware, yet another was full of crisp white linen and another still was covered with
a stunning array of jewellery. The outside garden was the temporary home for the restaurant tables, as well as all
the Persian carpets, brass tables, candles and cushions.
Then arrived the buffet - into the bar lounge it went - plate after platter of the most appetising and aromatic princely
offerings - the flavoured steam drifting into all corners of the restaurant - unable to catch up with the procession!
Customers queued and feasted outside in a marriage of dusk and weak candlelight, evidence of their successful
bartering skills held maternally near.
Suddenly and without warning, a belly dancer or two burst onto the marbled floor - the Restaurant swelling to the
magnificent sound of drums and the click of brass zills. People sat with spoons suspended between plate and
palate - unable to choose. The dance ended - the crowd cheered - the Chef was cooking again.
Aladdin reappeared, this time carrying a copper tray laden with Apple Tea glasses - his roguish face grudgingly
handing them out - all sweetness at the sight of a coin!
Many people bought, all of them ate, some of them danced. I joined the dozen or so, who didn`t have homes to go to,
in the garden after everybody else had left. It didn`t feel like two o`clock in the morning. Thank you to Lindsey,
Chris, Jean, Laurie, Yasmin, Steph, Val, Ray and all the other 'die hards' for your company and your jokes -
it was well deserved.
(The Antiques Bazaar is run and organised annually by Stephanie Clark of Arun Fairs, who also organises monthly
antiques and collectors' fairs at the Woodlands Centre in Rustington and the Charmandean Centre in Worthing.
The Woodlands Fair is held on the First Sunday of Every Month and is now in it's tenth successful year of trading.
The Charmandean Centre has its fair every two months and is held on the Last Sunday - the next events will be at
the end of May, July, September and November. Please contact the Restaurant for further details and information
regarding dates, stall-holders, availability etc.)
Khaled, Male Belly Dancer Night Silk Road Restaurant, Littlehampton 31st October 2005 |
The Silk Road Restaurant on most days is nothing more than a beautiful Turkish/Mediterranean venue, creating
freshly prepared authentic cuisine in stunning surroundings and to the gentle hum of International background
music. However, it is touched by magic at the weekends, when it suddenly transforms itself into all the above and
more. Take Halloween night, for example.
In the dim candlelight sat motionless anticipation. A pin was heard to drop! A shimmering blue vision appeared
unexpectedly on the staircase, the restaurant swelling to the magnificent sounds of exotic Egyptian drums.
Suddenly, he was on the marble floor, twisting and turning, this way and that – dancing as if possessed – an elegant
sweat line forming on his brow. On his head, more magic! Six lit candles! How could that be? One by one, he
invited us to join him. Tables moved aside and previously well behaved ladies and refined gentlemen were taken
over by a mysterious disease – dancing with gay abandon!
We were all in there – no chefs in the kitchen, no-one behind the bar – it didn’t matter, they weren’t needed! Wolf
whistles and howls of laughter, clapping and more than a few moist backs. The music drifted away, platters
emerged from the kitchen by themselves, making their way to the Buffet Lounge - the steam rising to touch the
noses of the now seated and slightly awkward well behaved ladies and refined gentlemen.
Someone opened a window. Where were we? Oh Yes, I remember, Littlehampton.
Littlehampton – full of surprises!
freshly prepared authentic cuisine in stunning surroundings and to the gentle hum of International background
music. However, it is touched by magic at the weekends, when it suddenly transforms itself into all the above and
more. Take Halloween night, for example.
In the dim candlelight sat motionless anticipation. A pin was heard to drop! A shimmering blue vision appeared
unexpectedly on the staircase, the restaurant swelling to the magnificent sounds of exotic Egyptian drums.
Suddenly, he was on the marble floor, twisting and turning, this way and that – dancing as if possessed – an elegant
sweat line forming on his brow. On his head, more magic! Six lit candles! How could that be? One by one, he
invited us to join him. Tables moved aside and previously well behaved ladies and refined gentlemen were taken
over by a mysterious disease – dancing with gay abandon!
We were all in there – no chefs in the kitchen, no-one behind the bar – it didn’t matter, they weren’t needed! Wolf
whistles and howls of laughter, clapping and more than a few moist backs. The music drifted away, platters
emerged from the kitchen by themselves, making their way to the Buffet Lounge - the steam rising to touch the
noses of the now seated and slightly awkward well behaved ladies and refined gentlemen.
Someone opened a window. Where were we? Oh Yes, I remember, Littlehampton.
Littlehampton – full of surprises!
Serita wows the crowd! Every Weekend Silk Road Restaurant, Littlehampton |
Turkish carpets warm the marble floor, rich red velvet curtains lead the way to an exotic tented ceiling buffet lit by
candles and decorated with silver plates and coloured crystals, a belly dancer twirls and spins to a backdrop of
smiling faces and thunderous applause.
But this is not Turkey, nor Egypt – not even London. It was all happening in Littlehampton, of course, where The Silk
Road Restaurant was celebrating again only this time it was about 4 successful and fun-filled years, with the
promise of many more to come. 100 special guests & regular customers piled in, many of them clasping gifts, to
find themselves being treated to both male & female belly dancers with DJ hosting, a buffet spread of the most
deliciously aromatic dishes on the menu, and a night of dancing and unrivalled hospitality for which The Silk Road
Restaurant is fast becoming famous.
A word of advice – get to know this great little place – while you can!
Littlehampton Gazette, November 2004
candles and decorated with silver plates and coloured crystals, a belly dancer twirls and spins to a backdrop of
smiling faces and thunderous applause.
But this is not Turkey, nor Egypt – not even London. It was all happening in Littlehampton, of course, where The Silk
Road Restaurant was celebrating again only this time it was about 4 successful and fun-filled years, with the
promise of many more to come. 100 special guests & regular customers piled in, many of them clasping gifts, to
find themselves being treated to both male & female belly dancers with DJ hosting, a buffet spread of the most
deliciously aromatic dishes on the menu, and a night of dancing and unrivalled hospitality for which The Silk Road
Restaurant is fast becoming famous.
A word of advice – get to know this great little place – while you can!
Littlehampton Gazette, November 2004
Past events
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