I learned many things from my visit to the best kebab shop in Swindon.
Not only did I find out how a fresh lamb doner tastes, or exactly how much doner meat you can get for £7.50.
I also discovered in the following days the many versatile uses of leftover kebabs.
It all started with a visit to Delicious Kebab in a Penhill layby off the Cricklade Road.
This is a popular spot, with cars whizzing in off the 30mph road to grab a quick bite (or three) after work.
I ordered a large lamb doner (£7.50) and my friend had the small (£6.50), and while we waited Ismail Urlu told me how his dad had started the shop in 1992.
Now, he, his brother Hasan and cousin Yusuf Abdulla, were working hard chopping onions and taking orders.
The 95 per cent lamb doner meat is fresh daily. Although a kebab fan, I cannot tell their freshness from a single glance.
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The salad on the other hand was clearly bright and crispy looking, piled high. The big range of sauces included mayo, ketchup, and barbecue, with the mint and homemade chilli standing out to me.
There was not much time for more background as although Ismail was very friendly he was also fast.
Piled high it was still hot by the time I was home, and this was the juiciest doner I have ever had. Succulent meat with the fresh mint and chilli sauces cutting through the meat, and the generous salad giving a sense of health.
But the standout feature was - you’ve guessed it - the quantity. I started ambitiously aiming for all, realised pretty soon I could only fit half, and finished with two-thirds left.
At first I was a bit worried about a future of leftover kebab but laziness and memories of that first night drew me back to the box.
The first repeat I had it with a baked potato and tomato-bean stew. I can now reveal that this doner is as good after three minutes in the microwave as it is from the skewer.
The second night was with spaghetti - an Italo-Turkish fusion dish which is yet to be named.
This kebab really was delicious as well as being great value, I will not forget it soon, not least because I can still smell it in my fridge.
With top-rated Lucy’s Fish Bar nearby, it seems Penhill may fast be becoming Swindon’s foodie hotspot.
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