🔗 Share this article ‘Every Culinary Artist Must Study At This Spot’: Modest Turkish Restaurant Ranks 4th on List of London’s Best Restaurants. When compiling a roll of London’s top dining spots, one might foresee familiar award-winning names. However, tucked high among these gastronomic giants is a modest salonu located in a far-flung part of northern London. An Shocking Recognition This small Turkish restaurant, focusing in the street food of Mersin, a port city on Turkey’s south coast, has been crowned the fourth finest restaurant in the metropolis by a prominent gastronomic guide. This honour has left the family completely shocked. “I’m completely surprised,” says the proprietor, alluding to his parents’ hard graft that resulted in their modest shop securing such a lofty ranking on a notable 99-strong list. A Appeal of Simplicity This small shop, which was a simple cafe before its transformation into a buzzing spot, has retained much of its earlier charm. It seats just over 20 people and, aside from the impressive live cooking performance, the interior remains largely unchanged. “It’s a small and stocky spot,” comments the owner. The Star Offering: Tantuni However, it’s all down to the food, and this restaurant certainly delivers. The eatery’s namesake dish, tantuni, is a straightforward pleasure. Choice of meat—either lamb or chicken—is prepared via steaming to keep a succulent quality. The meat is then added into a massive pan with flavours and oil, which are incorporated in slowly. Once the savoury mixture bubbles up, homemade lavaş—a soft bread—is laid on top to soak in all the aromas. Finely sliced onions and a sprinkling of parsley go inside before the tasty meat is folded securely inside. The wrap is often enjoyed with a drizzle of lemon or some pickles. The final product is a strong slap of taste, with subtle hints of sumac, sharp onions and red, paprika-infused oil pulling it all in harmony. Beyond the Classic Tantuni There is also yoğurtlu tantuni, where the meat-filled lavaş is cut up and topped with yogurt, tomato sauce and aromatic brown butter. The leading food critic described this dish “among London’s few perfect, no-notes dishes”. When it comes to dessert, the restaurant’s künefe is a treat. It is soaked in less syrup than usual, giving it a more intense, nuttier and not overly sweet flavour. Rising Above the Stars Interestingly, this modest restaurant has ranked above several renowned three-Michelin-starred venues. It finds itself close to the summit of the list, just after other high-profile dining destinations. Whereas two people could easily leave the restaurant satisfied for less than £25, equivalent experiences at luxury establishments can run into many times that figure. A Creed of Warmth The restaurant is also among several Turkish restaurants listed and is found well beyond the city’s most expensive zones. “It’s not concerning luxury. London is an expensive city. There is an belief that in an high-cost place you’re going to have the finest service and best food but I do not believe in that,” says the owner. “I believe what is paramount is hospitality, a welcoming atmosphere and a place you can be yourself and feel calm.” This philosophy is echoed by the list’s curator, who stated that if he were in a position of power, he would “make it mandatory to make every chef in London train at this restaurant as a finishing school, to show them the pitfalls of overcomplication, and to demonstrate what is attainable if you do a few – or three – things to their absolute best”. The Journey of Hard Work Unlike most chefs managing kitchens in the list’s highest ranks, the head chef behind the food did not work at Michelin-starred restaurants. “I am very happy of our restaurant and our mum,” says her son. A lot of restaurants take years to establish themselves, but this one first launched seven years ago. Its popularity is owing to long, grinding, seven-day weeks of effort. “Our mum would be extremely tired. She would source produce in the morning and prepare the food in the afternoon. All of it is handmade; she would do all of this. She is a single mum and she had a life outside work but her friends would come here to help her. She was raising children and a house to look after as well. All of these responsibilities shaped her into what she is now: a brilliant person,” he says. An Accomplishment for the People This restaurant’s recognition is set to echo beyond its own walls. “I think many people would be pleased, as I am, because the Turkish community is a huge part of London,” concludes the owner, emphasising the broader significance of this culinary honour.