Mangal II

Incredible! Mangal II has been on my list for years, and I was not disappointed. My partner and I went for the set menu at £50pp, and it hit the spot, and some! Everything we had was exceptional, but some real standouts were the pide with cull yaw fat, the courgette mücver, the smoked hummus with the house pickles (outstanding), the stone bass, the poussin and finally the tahini and apple tart. I thought that as it was a set menu, the portion sizes would be a bit smaller, but we were stuffed! The service was fantastic; the staff were friendly and attentive, and we received an apology for the wait on some of our food, but I felt this was unnecessary, as everything arrived at the right time and was well-paced. The atmosphere was great! I was somewhat disappointed there was no baklava when we went; however, the chefs recommended Bebek Baklava, a bit further south on Kingsland Road, and it was some of the best baklava I've had. I would absolutely recommend Mangal II, and I can't wait to go back.

The lamb ribs were not very tender, with quite a lot of fat, and the seasoning was a bit too sour for my taste. It was also a pity that the table knife provided in the restaurant made it quite difficult to cut through the meat. The lamb neck had a rich, deep flavor that became more enjoyable the more you chewed. The starch at the bottom absorbed the meat juices, and paired perfectly with the yogurt. The female server was very friendly and proactive in her recommendations and service, which is truly commendable.

Early birthday celebration at Mangal 2, and it honestly lived up to the hype. Contemporary Turkish food that still feels soulful and genuine. The Smoked Humus was beautifully presented with warm sourdough pide, though the smoky notes slightly overpowered the rest. The Stone Bass with vine leaf sarma, fermented olives, yoghurt and pul biber, and the Whole Poussin with chilli sauce, pilav and sumac onions were both absolute standouts, perfectly cooked and full of depth. They even surprised me with Almond Baklava and a candle for my birthday, which was the sweetest touch. We also had the Maldon Oyster with plum ezme and purple basil, Cull Yaw Köfte with grilled apple, and Angry Monk Beetroot Salad with yoghurt and walnuts, along with mint and Turkish tea to finish. Beautiful food, warm hospitality, and such a lovely atmosphere. Definitely worth a visit if you’re after thoughtful, modern Turkish cooking in Dalston.

We had this on our list as a place to try for a long time. Unfortunately after having authentic Turkish food in the area over the years, this place paled in comparison. I had hoped for a very tasty elevated Turkish experience. Instead it was overpriced, good but not great food with hints of its Turkish roots. The lamb ribs were the star. While there were only 3 for £18.50, they were very tasty with the sauce and grilled perfectly. The chicken main (“whole poussin”) was pretty good too. Very hot off the grill when served. However, the lamb neck over (I think) creamed barley was not great at all. The meat was shredded and quite rich which was made it very heavy because it just room temperature at best and not seasoned well. The barley risotto was literally cold. We could barely finish the dish. The hummus was just okay. Tasted like too much tahini was in it, and not balanced. It was £9.5 then you had to pay at least £3 to get any bread (pide) with it! And the pide was tiny. So I guess if you’re on a budget you’re meant to have a hummus starter and eat it with a fork or a spoon. We ordered 2 pides to have the hummus (one special cull yaw fat one for £5) and a regular one. So almost £20 on hummus alone! However, I will the service was really good. And the restaurant itself it well appointed and bright. Overall almost £100 for a decent to okay meal. My suggestion is try a traditional Turkish mangal that are nearby. Much better food, more of it and almost half the price.