Fast forward 6 years and little did I know that I'd be walking into the first European outlet of the same Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi (Historical Sultanahmet Meatballs Restaurant), and on the curry mile no less.
Occupying one half of the now defunct Al-Bilal restaurant, the interior is tastefully decorated with ornate Turkish lamps, exposed brickwork and beams and cafe style furniture. Photographs celebrating their 96 year history adorn the walls including a visit from Barack Obama.
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| The interior marks a shift from the usual decor found on the curry mile |
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| Going strong since 1920 |
I know that some people avoid the curry mile like the plague however once you walk through the doors, the ambience inside is a polar opposite of the 'chaos' outside.
The menu is limited to just 3 starters and 5 mains. For me, this is always a positive as it's a promising sign to the diner that the focus will be on quality and not quantity. The staff were very eager to stress that nothing on site is frozen and all items are made fresh, music to my ears.
We didn't opt for any starters but were presented with a complimentary Piyaz or white bean salad dressed in a sharp vinaigrette and earthy olive oil accompanied by lettuce, tomatoes and slivers of red onions. It tasted fresh and had it featured actual Turkish tomatoes as opposed to the anaemic variety we get in the UK then it would have tasted even better. If you've ever eaten fresh tomatoes in Turkey or the Mediterranean then you'll understand where I'm coming from.
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| Tangy and fresh Piyaz - white bean salad |
For mains I went for the headline Kofte, the Mrs had the Grilled Lamb, both with rice and we got grilled chicken for the kids
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| The main act - the dish that started it all, traditional meatballs with delicious homemade chilli sauce |
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| Grilled chicken |
The Kofte tasted exactly like the ones I had back in Istanbul 6 years ago, very finely minced, well seasoned and delicately spiced. It may not make a huge dent on the scoville scale however if you feel the need for some heat then don't despair because freshly made authentic Turkish chilli sauce is generously offered as soon as your mains arrive and it packs a punch. I didn't get to try the chicken as the kids wolfed it down so that should be taken as a good sign.
Whilst all dishes were excellent, the lamb was the star of the show. Each cutlet was cooked pink and was melt in the mouth tender, if I head back that's what I'm ordering and so should you! If only I had a photo to show you but they were saw delicious that they were cleaned off the plate before we got a chance! Unfortunately almost every other Indo-Pakistani place serves grilled lamb which is incinerated, tough and chewy so having lamb served like this is a rare delight.
At any other restaurant we would have wrapped up and headed home however the staff presented us with yet another complimentary item to try out, Halva made with semolina. It was actually very similar to the Halva that's made in our house and people from the subcontinental heritage will recognise the flavour. The only difference was the absence of raisins and inclusion of pine nuts in their place.
I finished the meal with the Turkish Coffee, I expected a cup to be placed in front of me but instead I was served a beautiful silver platter, a mini cloche hid two pieces of delicious Lokum or Turkish Delight, a glass of water as a palate cleanser and finally an espresso sized cup of Sekerli Kahve or sweet coffee.
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| Sekerli Turk Kahve - Sweet Turkish Coffee, immaculately presented |
When paying the bill we were presented with a Turkish fortune coin (an old Turkish Lira), if you're thinking whether this is the Turkish equivalent of a Chinese fortune cookie then not quite. The staff explained that this is part of Turkish Culture and the coin is given to parting guests to wish them good fortune. Besides being a great gesture and a glimpse into Turkish culture it summed up how we had been treated that entire evening, not as customers but as guests.
This is a fantastic restaurant which serves excellent food, where the staff really look after you and where you experience traditional Turkish hospitality. And to top it off the price is extremely reasonable with the most expensive mains costing just under £9, that's a bargain.
Will I visit again? Without a doubt!
Should you visit? Absolutely!
