Kyseri

When we heard that Chef Selin Kiazim was opening another restaurant we couldn't wait to find out where and when it would be. This was because we have visited her other restaurant Oklava a few times and we love it there. So when the news came out that it was going to be a Turkish restaurant in Fitzrovia we started looking to when we could make time for a visit. As we were staying in London at the weekend it seemed a perfect time to go. The restaurant itself is set on the corner of Grafton Way near the BT Tower and a short walk from Warren Street tube. We entered to find a small restaurant inside that had a mixture of tables and counter seating with the kitchen situated downstairs. We received a nice greeting on arrival before being shown to our table which was in one of the two booths. There was only the two of us so we had plenty of room but we did notice that there were four people in the other booth and they did seem to be a little bit squashed in. We were then given the menu which had a selection of five starters a couple of pasta dishes and five main courses plus a couple of sides. All dishes are made for sharing. They also offer the Kyseri menu which is a selection of the dishes chosen by the chef on the day. We decided to opt for the Kyseri menu as we wanted to try as many dishes as possible. We started with the Simit - Sesame Loaf , Beef Dripping Butter & Antep Aubergine Jam. This was followed by House Cured Pastirma and the Sheep's Milk Feta , Green Chilli Ezme with Candied Watermelon. All these dishes were an absolute delight and very different to what you would expect in a normal Turkish restaurant We were then treated to one of the two pasta dishes the Eriste , Walnuts , Lemon Braised Greens , Sage , Egg Yolk & Tulum Cheese and I have to say it was absolutely fabulous It was now time to move onto the main courses which started with an amazing Brassica Salad with Cauliflower , Pomegranate , Pistachios & Ricotta. This was followed by a fantastic Roasted Hake with Celeriac , Kumquat , Mussels & Dandelion. We finished with a delicious Cornish Lamb Cutlets , Riblets , Grape Molasses , Black Garlic & Aegean Greens. All these dishes went delightfully well with a bottle of the house white wine a Diren Collection which was nice and fruity and very easy to drink. Now it was time for dessert and this was as heavenly as all the previous dishes a Baked Mahler Custard , with Moscat Grapes , Apple Crumble & Caramelised White Chocolate This brought to an end an a real Turkish treat and not a kebab in sight. The flavours in each dish were amazing which is no surprise having tasted Selin's food at Oklava. So yes I would highly recommend a visit here as the food is excellent and the staff are very friendly and will offer any advice you require. As the restaurant is small there's also a great atmosphere so put this place on your food list now

Selin's second restaurant is another level up from Oklava, where dishes are traditional (with some twists) but where flavours are big and punchy. Kyseri is a quieter, more elegant affair, with really beautiful flavours and techniques coming through. Wines are listed in order of body - a lovely touch. Home-cured pastirma and stuffed courgette flowers are real highlights.