Crystal Kebabs

Cash only; good value. I wouldn’t recommend the mystery meat kebab (the stuff ‘roasting’ on the spit). But their kofta (ground lamb) and chicken kebabs were excellent and I thought the lamb kebabs good as well (my wife thought her piece a bit tough). The salad and bread it comes with are fine (I liked the slaw). I’d go back, but only for the ‘real meat’ kebabs in the front glass case (that they then grill fresh for you). Also, this place is take-​out only… nowhere to sit and eat inside (nowhere to sit inside at all, for that matter). I rated this place «good for kids» because they guy at the counter gave my son a lolly-​pop… and the food is fine /​plenty bland for kids; but again, it is take-​out only… so either eat at home or in the park across the street.

On a culinary nostalgia trip from my youth.
Remember when this place was a garage with a car in it. I also remember the man that converted it into a kebab shop.
Used to go strawberry picking in the summer to earn some teen cash. Used to come here in the early evening and either have a small kebab or more likely chips in a pitta with salad on top. To be perfectly honest I can’t remember the actual quality of the food served and besides I had no reference point other than this was the most exotic cuisine in Taunton.
Over 25 years later I’m a bit more experienced!
First thing I always look at is the kebab meat on the grill. There are 2 types 1) those containing discernible pieces of meat and 2) the puréed variety. This was most definitely the latter. Normally on seeing this I’d walk on by but nostalgia dictated I have one.
Bought a small Donna for £3.80.
2 small circles of cucumber that had seen better days coupled with 2 small wedges of tomato 1 of which had lost its centre, a load of thickly cut and (far too) strong white onion and some shredded white cabbage rounded off the basic salad topping. Best described as disappointing. The pepper was worth noting as I haven’t had one for some time and realise I missed the hot, vinegary crunch… Nice!
The ‘meat’ was pretty much as I thought it would be… tasteless! it also had the most unnervingly soggy & spongy quality to it. Also worth noting was that the server didn’t grill it and freshly slice it off the roll as he had a big lidded pot full of meat (steaming?) ready for customers.
I bought it and sat on a bench over the road in the gardens to eat it as I did all those years ago. From the nostalgia perspective it was ¹⁰⁄₁₀ hence one extra star. Knowing what I do now about proper kebabs this example was pretty revolting and I have no qualms about saying I’ll never buy another one from here again. :(