Istanbul

Like many things in life (for example; exam results, birthday presents, the contents of a sharks stomach) Turkish food can either be really really good, or really really bad.
There is always that element of risk, seemingly more so the further away you go from Dalston.
It’s always a lovely surprise therefore when you find a really high quality and innovative Turkish menu in the depths of North London.
The Adana wrap is delicious. Sometimes pita bread is too much! A lighter surrounding makes the whole thing more moreish. I could literally eat about five.
The service is friendly and warm, and there is a good range of specials at reasonable prices. The décor isn’t too bad either.
Although still not up to some of the legendary Dalston Turkish grills, this is still a surpisingly good restaurant in a surprising location.
Do not underestimate the power of the Adana wrap.

After a day of talking on the phone nonstop, I just wanted to escape the house and get some good food. I had walked by this little place many times and always wondered if it were any good… well today was the day to give it actually a try… and boy am I glad I did!!!
The Today’s special sign on the street had actually lured me in: Vegetable Moussaka. I figured, since I make the best meat moussaka in the whole wide world, I might as well get inspired by some vegetable moussaka… and boy did I get inspired!!!
There were only a few other customers in the restaurant and I thus had the waiter’s full attention. In fact, the service that I received here was so attentive and so friendly that even a high-​end restaurant could learn from them: the waiter changed the cutlery, refilled my water, served the plate facing the right way, offered condiments… etc.
But I am digressing… anyway, I ordered the Tabbouleh Salad as a starter and that was already pretty awesome. I mean, it’s a rather standard dish, yet the ingredients were well balanced: it had a nice zest to it and the pita bread that was served with it was smooth and delicious. Then I got my moussaka… and believe me I prayed for it to be as good as the previous experience… and boy did my prayers work!
Seriously, the moussaka was the best I’ve ever had (aside from my meat moussaka, of course). The eggplant was melting on my tongue and the bechamel/​cheese sauce was heavenly as well. The waiter offered my some chilli-​sauce on the side, which I happily stirred into my rice — and I had yet to experience yet another culinary climax!
Well, sitting there all by myself, I had also the leisure of watching the waiter prepare a couple of coffee drinks. And I was positively surprised has how well he prepared the Latte Macchiato… very carefully did he first pour steamed hot milk, topped it off with some foam and only then did he actually — very carefully — pour the espresso into the glass; the end-​result was a perfectly three-​tiered Latte — the way it is supposed to be served if I were to rule the world. (Only the straw was missing!)
Alright, enough said… but just to reemphasise how much I liked this restaurant: my throbbing headache, which I suffered from upon entering the establishment, had vanished by the time the check came… a mere £10.90!
…boy am I glad I came here!!!