The top line: Restaurateur Dom Hamdy, the man behind buzzy London restaurants Bistro Freddie, Crispin and Canal, and chef Keiran Mustafa, whose CV includes BiBi and The Harwood Arms, have taken residency above The Globe Tavern in Borough for Kismet, which pays homage to the traditional meyhanes - local pubs with live music - of Istanbul and North Cyprus.
On the menu: Designed to arrive in waves rather than courses, the food at Kismet is built around a strong meze offer as well as mangal-grilled kebabs. On the meze menu you’ll find braised green beans in olive oil; buffalo milk yoghurt with chilli butter; fried, stuffed bulgur wheat dumplings; and fried lamb’s liver, followed by a range of kebabs that include one made with lamb leg with tail fat; and another with Cypriot minced lamb and beef kebab wrapped in caul fat. Sides, meanwhile, include meyhane pilavı, the traditional Turkish dish of bulgur wheat and tomatoes; and fried Cyprus potatoes. Starters begin at £7 and kebabs are priced from £18 and there is also the option of a set menu for £48. Drinks wise, raki, the anise-spiced spirit that is found on almost every restaurant dinner table in Istanbul, forms the crux of the list with several styles on offer by the glass or bottle (regulars are encouraged to buy a bottle and leave it behind for their next visit). Aegean and Turkish wines also feature as well as Basketcase, a bottled lager brewed in partnership with Coalition Brewery that is named after the men once employed by Istanbul bars to carry patrons who may have overindulged on raki home in large baskets strapped to their backs (if only this was still the case...).
The vibe: Great effort has been made to give Kismet a homely feel and to draw on Istanbul’s eclectic meyhanes. The paintwork is authentically ‘nicotine stained’ and design touches include white tablecloths, low ambient lighting, and traditional lace window dressings. Exposed brick gives the place a well-worn feel while a wall plastered with numerous black and white photographs makes you feel like you’re in your Instanbul local and not sitting directly above a traditional British tavern.
And another thing: Get there while you can. Kismet is on a year-long residency, although if it is a roaring success it is likely that Hamdy and co will look to relocate it.
Upstairs at The Globe Tavern, 8 Bedale Street, London, SE1 9AL / kismet.london