Zahter
Soho, London
A star in her home city, Istanbulite chef Esra Muslu ran a cluster of restaurants before coming to London and eventually nabbing the top gig at Ottolenghi in Spitalfields. In 2021 she launched her own gaff – a sprawling set-up spread across three floors just off Carnaby, with a pokey counter bar for pre-prandial cocktails downstairs (plus thrilling views of the kitchen). Upstairs is loud and clattery, with a tiled counter, marble tabletops, metal partitions and brick walls that seem to reverberate the noise. The menu is dominated by hot and cold meze – especially the hugely popular whole artichoke (fragrant and lemony) with sticky spiced rice fastidiously packed in between each fleshy leaf, plus a scattering of jewel-like pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds. Readers also rave about the ‘extremely flavoursome’ lamb kofte, best eaten with some piping hot, pillowy pide bread from the wood/charcoal oven for mopping up the juices. There are also a couple of showpiece 'platters', including a whole but ‘magically de-boned’ sea bream with chimichurri. For afters, it’s all about luscious, sticky gorgeousness in the shape of a wickedly decadent baklava topped with a blob of cream and dusted with ground pistachios. Service keeps pace with the boisterous crowd, thanks to a brigade of busy, chatty staff. Wines kick off with Turkish house selections at £29.
