🔗 Share this article All Cook Ought to Train At This Spot’: Modest Turkish Restaurant Earns Fourth on List of London’s Top Restaurants. Whenever assembling a list of London’s best restaurants, one might foresee well-known award-winning names. However, nestled near the top among these culinary titans is a unpretentious salonu located in a far-flung area of north London. An Shocking Honour This small Turkish restaurant, concentrating in the specialties of Mersin, a city on Turkey’s south coast, has been crowned the fourth best restaurant in the metropolis by a influential food magazine. The honour has made the proprietors utterly shocked. “I’m totally astonished,” states a family member, alluding to his family’s hard graft that led to their humble restaurant achieving such a lofty ranking on a prestigious 99-strong list. The Charm of Simplicity This little venue, which was a basic cafe before its change into a buzzing spot, has maintained much of its former feel. It seats just more than 20 people and, beyond the vibrant live cooking show, the layout remains largely unchanged. “It is a small and stocky spot,” comments the owner. A Namesake Dish: Tantuni However, it is all about the cuisine, and this eatery certainly delivers. The restaurant’s namesake dish, tantuni, is a simple joy. The meat—either lamb or chicken—is cooked with steam to keep a tender quality. The meat is then tossed into a large pan with seasonings and oil, which are added in gradually. When the savoury mixture bubbles up, freshly made lavaş—a soft bread—is laid on top to take in all the flavours. Finely sliced onions and a handful of parsley are added before the savoury meat is rolled neatly inside. The wrap is typically enjoyed with a drizzle of lemon or some pickles. The end result is a powerful burst of taste, with subtle hints of sumac, sharp onions and red, paprika-infused oil bringing it all in harmony. Other Than the Basic Tantuni Patrons can also try yoğurtlu tantuni, where the meat-filled lavaş is cut up and crowned with yogurt, tomato sauce and cooked, nutty browned butter. A respected food critic described this dish “a part of London’s few ideal, faultless dishes”. For a sweet finish, the eatery’s künefe goes down a treat. It is soaked in less syrup than usual, giving it a deeper, more aromatic and not overly sweet profile. Surpassing the Stars Notably, this modest restaurant has ranked above several renowned three-Michelin-starred restaurants. It finds itself close to the summit of the list, following other esteemed dining destinations. Whereas two people could readily leave this place satisfied for under £25, similar tasting menus at top-tier establishments can run into significantly more than that amount. A Creed of Heart The restaurant is also among several Turkish restaurants featured and is located well beyond the city’s prime zones. “It’s not about luxury. London is an expensive city. It is belief that in an expensive place you’re going to have the finest service and best food but I do not believe in that,” explains the owner. “I believe what is crucial is warmth, a welcoming atmosphere and somewhere you can be yourself and be calm.” The sentiment is supported by the list’s curator, who stated that if he were in a position of authority, he would “insist to have every chef in London come to this restaurant as a final lesson, to show them the pitfalls of overthinking, and to demonstrate what is attainable if you do just one – or three – things to their very best”. The Story of Perseverance Unlike most chefs heading kitchens in the list’s highest ranks, the mastermind behind the food didn’t train at Michelin-starred establishments. “I feel very proud of our restaurant and our mum,” concludes her son. Numerous restaurants require years to become successful, but this one first opened its doors seven years ago. Its success is thanks to relentless, seven-day weeks of effort. “Our mum would be extremely tired. She would buy ingredients in the morning and make the food in the afternoon. Everything is handmade; she would manage all of this. She is a single mum and she managed a life outside work but her friends would support her to help her. She was raising children and a house to care for as well. Each of these duties made her into what she is now: a remarkable person,” he says. A Achievement for the People This restaurant’s success is bound to have meaning outside its own premises. “I think a lot of people would be happy, as I am, because the Turkish community is a huge part of London,” notes the owner, pointing out the greater importance of this gastronomic honour.