19 Numara Bos Cirrik 2
Ocakbasi Restaurant, Kebab and Lahmacun Salonu
By Anne Beech
It’s an odd thing to say, perhaps, but one of the pleasures of 19 Numara has to be the wine list: the tasting notes have been provided by none other than N16’s very own oenophile, Mr Peter Grogan, the Ezra Pound of wine writing. It’s a heady intro to a very well-rounded offering, very reasonably priced – but you don’t go to 19 Numara for the wine, necessarily – right?
Of course: it’s the food, stupid. And the food at 19 Numara (the origins of the name seem to be wreathed in mystery, but have something to do with lucky numbers and the shooting of defenceless game birds – ask them, not me) is solidly and reliably based on the best of Turkish traditions. A charcoal grill, a brilliant offering of hot and cold mezeler starters, mini-meals for people in a hurry (some great lahmacun, for example, and at least 10 pideler), grilled fish, kebabs and some satisfyingly robust casseroles are part of the regular menu.
On a recent mercy dash, The Husband, desperate for a carnivore fix (see Ashtrays no More, page 5), opted for a massive plateful of grilled lamb cutlets and, absent-mindedly and possibly unaware, consumed at least some of the three salad dishes served as a matter of course with all mains at 19 Numara: roast onion in pomegranate and turnip (sic) juice, a mixed salad and the wondrously spiced marinaded onion and parsley. It didn’t make too much of a mess, considering. I contented myself with a personal favourite, Yogurtlu Adana Kebap. A massive portion (part of which left with me in a doggy bag – they’re very nice about that sort of thing at 19 Numara, and it made a great lunch at work the next day) came with some of the best Turkish breads in Stokie. They have three different types of bread, apparently, but I’m trying to control my anorak moments – for your sake and mine.
You can’t get in to the joint at the weekend unless you book – I know, I’ve tried – so I’ve obviously come to the party a little late. But book, if you can: it’s honest, good-value, proper food. Not themed, not straining for effect. Just good.
194 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7JD, 020 7249 9111
The White Hart
By Saskia Little-Brown
Saturday lunch: always a problem.
It’s not Sunday, so you can’t pig out on a roast. You’re going out later, so you don’t want to max on the food front. Latest news from the cash machine is not encouraging. You’re not exactly rolling in it. On the other hand, it’s a Saturday, for goodness’ sake, and you really can’t be arsed faffing around in the kitchen. You deserve a break – right?
Solution? The new lunch menu at the White Hart (but not when Arsenal’s playing, if possible – not that they’ll be bothering the Premiership unduly, on present form …).
The clever clogs at the White Hart have fixed on a winning formula: a sound but mercifully short selection of respectfully prepared basics – lamb chops, beautifully assembled home-made burgers (trust me on this: I’m a burgerista), chilli with cheddar mash, pork and leek sausages with mash and onion gravy – and a gentle push at the culinary envelope with curried goat and vegetable masala, both served with coconut rice and black-eyed peas. If you’re not up for one of the mains, but still crave some carbs, possibly to counter the excesses of the previous night, they’re offering a bowl of chilli with tortilla chips and cheese, potato wedges with sour cream, nachos, zucchini fries or just a bowl of chips, if your brain is too fried to make sense of anything more complicated. If you’ve got the room, money and time, choose from vanilla cheesecake or apple flan with custard for pud.
On a recent Saturday, as the sun streamed through the pub’s windows, The Husband gorged on cottage pie (£6.50), and mistakenly ate the accompanying vegetables without complaint, murmuring the while about comfort food and ‘just like grannie’s’ and some other retro nonsense (mysteriously, my hearing shut down about two minutes into the monologue, so I’m not entirely clear what he was on about). Less ravenously, I opted for a hot BLT baguette, one of a choice of five different fillings, all of which come with a side salad and fries for an affordable £3.75. (Culinary quibble: I prefer streaky in my BLTs – but the White Hart has opted for back bacon. How I suffer for my art.) Saturday lunch solved. Thank you, White Hart.
116 Stoke Newington High Street, N16. 0207 254 6266
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