Meze Mangal is a Turkish treasure trove hidden in the depths of South London that offers plenty of affordable, authentic Turkish delights.

The Venue
This is an upmarket restaurant on a decidedly downmarket high street. The wood fronted exterior is fairly unremarkable but once inside you are greeted by the warmth of a huge charcoal grill and the welcoming smell of kebabs cooking over hot coals. There is an enormous wood burning oven towards the back of the restaurant and a chef standing by it skilfully flipping fresh dough ready to create pide, a kind of Turkish pizza. If that doesn’t get your taste buds going nothing will!

The restaurant is fairly small, the tables pushed quite close together and it is pretty popular. This creates a real buzz but you should expect to be seated in close proximity of your fellow diners.

The Atmosphere
Exactly what you would expect from a family run business; cosy, friendly and unpretentious. The clientele are a mix of Turks (always encouraging to see), twenty- and thirtysomething regulars and families.

There is a very relaxed vibe and the staff are genuinely friendly; expect to be recognised if you have been there even once before. Waiters are happy to recommend dishes and are obviously proud of their country’s cuisine. The service is quick and efficient though you might find yourself asking for more time to make your menu choices.

The Food
This is good, simple, traditional Turkish fare and you will find lots of cold mezzes, sis kebabs and grilled fish on the menu. There is a good mix of vegetarian, meat and fish dishes along with freshly baked pide that come with a variety of toppings. Try the sucuklu (lightly spiced Turkish sausage) for a nice chilli kick. The lahmacun, a thinner version of the pide, is an excellent starter if you are not planning pide as a main. Staff recommend you put salt in it and roll it up to make it spicier and stronger. The dough is fresh, wafer-thin and brings out the taste of the lightly-spiced ground beef and the juicy tomato topping perfectly.

Vegetarians might want to try borek to start. The pastry is flaky and dissolves in your mouth and the cheese is rich and creamy though it is quite salty. If you mix a hot starter with some cold meze of stuffed vine leaves, pureed aubergine salad and silky hummus you won’t be disappointed. Starters average out at about £4 per dish and portions are fairly generous so one between two may be enough, though it’s always fun to try different things.

Kebabs are clearly the main headliner at Meze Mangal and you can enjoy watching them being freshly cooked in front of you. The chicken kebabs (pilic sis) are particularly succulent and you can taste the oregano and garlic used in the marinade. Served with a large portion of carrot, cucumber and red cabbage salad the dish doesn’t need anything other than a squeeze of lemon. The grilled quails (bildircin), however, are overdone. Despite being warned that it will taste gamey it more closely resembles slightly over-cooked, dry chicken.

The cop sis (lamb kebab) is tender and cooked to perfection. You may also want to try the adana kofte (spicy minced lamb kebab) but it has a strong, almost mutton-like flavour to it. Main courses range from £7 to £14 and you can get a set meze for two for just £11.

Turkish desserts are extremely rich and sugary. If that is your thing you should definitely try the baklava (pastry with pistachios and syrup). The pastry is wonderfully thin and flaky and the pistachios and syrup are enough to give you a strong sugar rush.

The Drink
Meze Mangal prides itself on serving Turkish wine and beer. The Efes beer is apparently gold medal winning and does taste good. It’s not too strong or fizzy and has a light, refreshing taste. The house white at about £10 a bottle is surprisingly drinkable, a bit flowery but fresh and dry.

The Last Word
Meze Mangal is a friendly, relaxed restaurant that doesn’t try too hard and still manages to serve up great, basic Turkish food. If you can be bothered to make the trip this is one of South London’s hidden treasures that is definitely worth exploring.

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