Each Culinary Artist Should Study Here’: Modest Turkish Eatery Ranks 4th on Ranking of London’s Leading Restaurants.

When assembling a roll of London’s top dining spots, one might expect renowned high-end venues. However, situated near the top among these gastronomic titans is a unpretentious salonu found in a outlying corner of northern London.

A Unexpected Accolade

This small Turkish eatery, concentrating in the specialties of Mersin, a city on Turkey’s south coast, has been named the 4th best restaurant in the city by a influential culinary publication. This recognition has made the proprietors totally astonished.

“I’m completely shocked,” remarks a owner’s son, alluding to his parents’ hard graft that resulted in their small restaurant achieving such a lofty ranking on a respected 99-strong list.

The Appeal of Simplicity

The little venue, which started as a simple cafe before its conversion into a popular destination, has maintained much of its former charm. It accommodates just more than 20 people and, beyond the impressive live cooking display, the layout remains largely unchanged. “It is a tiny and intimate space,” notes the owner.

The Star Offering: Tantuni

However, it is all down to the food, and this establishment more than succeeds. The eatery’s eponymous dish, tantuni, is a simple joy. The meat—lamb or lamb or chicken—is cooked with steam to preserve a moist, juicy consistency.

The meat is then thrown into a sizeable pan with spices and oil, which are added in slowly. As the savoury mixture starts to simmer, freshly made lavaş—a soft bread—is slapped on top to soak in all the juices. Finely sliced onions and a handful of parsley go inside before the savoury meat is rolled neatly inside.

It is typically enjoyed with a squeeze of lemon or some tangy accompaniments. The end result is a strong burst of taste, with soft hints of sumac, sharp onions and spicy, paprika-laced oil tying it all in harmony.

Other Than the Classic Tantuni

Another option is yoğurtlu tantuni, where the meat-filled lavaş is sliced and finished with yogurt, tomato sauce and cooked, nutty browned butter. The prominent food critic labelled this dish “one of London’s few perfect, no-notes dishes”.

For sweets, the restaurant’s künefe goes down a delight. It is doused in lighter syrup than is typical, resulting in it a richer, toastier and not overly sweet taste.

Outranking the Titans

Interestingly, this modest spot has been placed higher than several renowned three-Michelin-starred establishments. It finds itself just behind the peak of the list, just after other esteemed dining destinations.

While two people could easily leave the restaurant full for less than £25, equivalent experiences at top-tier establishments can run into significantly more than that price.

A Philosophy of Hospitality

The restaurant is also part of several Turkish restaurants included and is situated well beyond the city’s most expensive zones. “It is not focused on luxury. London is an costly city. There is an assumption that in an high-cost place you’re going to have the finest service and finest food but I do not believe in that,” states the owner.

“I believe what is crucial is hospitality, kindness and a place you can be yourself and be calm.”

This sentiment is echoed by the list’s curator, who suggested that if he was in a role of authority, he would “insist to make every chef in London train at this restaurant as a final lesson, to teach them the dangers of overthinking, and to demonstrate what is achievable if you do only a handful of – or three – things to their absolute best”.

The Journey of Perseverance

In contrast to most chefs heading kitchens in the list’s highest ranks, the head chef behind the food did not work at fancy establishments. “I am really proud of our shop and our mum,” says her son.

A lot of restaurants require years to establish themselves, but this eatery first started seven years ago. Its acclaim is owing to relentless, seven-day weeks of work.

“My mum would be very tired. She would source produce in the morning and create the food in the afternoon. All of it is handmade; she would manage all of this. She is a single mother and she balanced 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. Each of these duties made her into what she is now: a remarkable person,” he says.

An Achievement for the Community

The restaurant’s accolade is bound to echo outside its own doors. “I believe a lot of people would be happy, as I am, because the Turkish community is a huge part of London,” notes the owner, emphasising the wider meaning of this culinary honour.