🔗 Share this article ‘Every Cook Must Train Here’: Modest Turkish Restaurant Earns Fourth on Ranking of London’s Top Dining Destinations. Whenever compiling a ranking of London’s finest restaurants, one might anticipate well-known award-winning venues. But, nestled high among these gastronomic heavyweights is a simple salonu situated in a distant area of north London. An Unexpected Accolade This compact Turkish eatery, concentrating in the street food of Mersin, a city on Turkey’s southern coast, has been declared the fourth top restaurant in the capital by a influential culinary publication. This recognition has left the owners utterly surprised. “I’m totally surprised,” says a owner’s son, alluding to his family’s hard graft that culminated in their modest restaurant earning such a prominent spot on a respected 99-strong list. A Appeal of Modesty The compact space, which used to be a basic cafe before its change into a sought-after destination, has maintained much of its earlier feel. It seats just more than 20 people and, aside from the vibrant live cooking display, the layout remains largely unchanged. “It’s a tiny and intimate space,” notes the owner. The Namesake Dish: Tantuni Ultimately, it is focused on the cuisine, and this eatery definitely delivers. The restaurant’s namesake dish, tantuni, is a simple pleasure. Choice of meat—lamb or lamb or chicken—is cooked with steam to keep a moist, juicy consistency. The meat is then added into a large pan with spices and oil, which are incorporated in slowly. When the savoury mixture starts to simmer, freshly made lavaş—a thin, flexible bread—is laid on top to take in all the juices. Finely sliced onions and a dash of parsley go inside before the flavourful meat is folded securely inside. The wrap is usually consumed with a squeeze of lemon or some pickles. The final product is a powerful burst of taste, with gentle hints of sumac, sharp onions and spicy, paprika-laced oil tying it all together. Other Than the Basic Tantuni Patrons can also try yoğurtlu tantuni, where the meat-filled lavaş is sliced and finished with yogurt, tomato sauce and rich, nutty brown butter. The prominent food critic labelled this dish “among London’s few flawless, impeccable dishes”. When it comes to dessert, the eatery’s künefe is a delight. It is doused in lighter syrup than usual, imparting it a deeper, more aromatic and more balanced flavour. Surpassing the Stars Interestingly, this modest restaurant has ranked above several renowned three-Michelin-starred establishments. It finds itself just behind the top of the list, trailing other high-profile dining destinations. Whereas two people could easily leave the restaurant satisfied for below £25, equivalent meals at luxury establishments can run into significantly more than that figure. A Creed of Warmth The restaurant is also part of several Turkish restaurants featured and is located well beyond the city’s central zones. “It’s not concerning luxury. London is an costly city. It is belief that in an expensive place you’re going to have the top service and best food but I don’t agree with that,” says the owner. “I believe what is crucial is warmth, friendliness and a place you can be yourself and feel calm.” The sentiment is echoed by the list’s curator, who stated that if he was in a role of power, he would “insist to have every chef in London train at this spot as a final lesson, to teach them the pitfalls of overthinking, and to reveal what is attainable if you do only a handful of – or three – things to their very best”. A Journey of Dedication In contrast to many chefs running kitchens in the list’s top ten, the head chef behind the food did not train at elite restaurants. “I feel really pleased of our restaurant and our mum,” says her son. Many restaurants need years to become successful, but this one first opened its doors seven years ago. Its popularity is owing to long, grinding, seven-day weeks of dedication. “My mum used to be very tired. She would go shopping in the morning and prepare the food in the afternoon. Each item is made by hand; she would handle all of this. She is a single mum and she managed a life outside work but her friends would come here to help her. She had children and a house to manage as well. All of these duties shaped her into what she is now: a remarkable person,” he reflects. An Recognition for the Culture This restaurant’s success is bound to have meaning outside its own premises. “In my opinion many people would be happy, as I am, because the Turkish community is a significant part of London,” concludes the owner, emphasising the wider significance of this gastronomic honour.