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Mangal 2
4 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 Dalston Kingsland BR
67, 76, 149 Bus
Open noon - 1am daily
Licensed. Credit cards accepted Tel: 020 7254 7888
With the increase in London's Turkish population, it's long been possible to find Turkish
food right across the city' from the humblest kebab house to the grand West End
restaurants such as Efes and Sofra. Areas such as Dalston and Harringey have become focal
points.
On a warm summer evening it's possible to imagine you are in Turkey. The streets are
filled with the enticing aroma of ocakbasi chefs grilling meat and vegetables. The
impression is enhanced by the existence of small coffee shops, often named after football
clubs, and patisseries with their windows filled with honey-drenched pastries, stuffed
breads and kibbeh.
The vernacular style of the many Turkish cafes and restaurants in N16 is an asset to the
London eating-out scene. The appeal of the cuisine lies in its simplicity, freshness and
careful preparation. Even the simplest cafe is spotlessly clean.
Mangal 2 is the larger of the two Mangal restaurants. Number 1 - one of my long-term
favourites - is just around the corner in Arcola Street. I was initially disappointed by
the decor: bedroom blue with dinky light fittings. The feeling was quickly dispelled by
the friendly welcome, although we had not booked a table on a Friday evening.
Mangal 2 has a more extensive menu than its smaller brother and there is enough space to
have a more leisurely meal. It is pretty crowded most nights of the week, so it's best to
book. The charcoal grill is at the back of the restaurant and fills the room with
mouthwatering cooking smells.
The menu consists of 23 different mezze. My friend had the soup of the day - a well
flavoured lentil soup with tomatoes and fresh herbs £2.50. I had the Imam Bayildi - cold
stuffed aubergine with onion, tomato, and green peppers - at £3.00. I did not taste any
green pepper but it was very good nonetheless. All mezze come with a basket of wonderful
Turkish breads.
There is a huge selection of grilled main courses including some vegetarian dishes. We
opted for a couple of classics. Grilled spiced lamb ribs £6.00 were beautifully trimmed
and cooked with a fresh salad of rocket, grated carrot, red onion - and radish sprinkled
with sumae, which imparts a sharp flavour to balance the richness of the lamb. I had a
skewer of chicken pieces on the bone with grilled peppers and tomatoes £6.00. This also
comes with the salad.
Other treats from the grill are vykuluk grilled lamb sweetbreads £6.00 - and bildircin -
grilled quails on a skewer £8.00. There is a dish of the day, which is usually a stew or
casserole £4.00.
Although the majority of the population in Turkey is Muslim, they produce a lot of very
drinkable wine. Mangal 2 is licensed and has a small wine list. Stick to the Turkish
varieties which are very good value at £7.50 a bottle. Efes Turkish beer is £1.50 a
bottle.
The service is friendly and professional. We thought the complimentary pastries and coffee
were a very generous touch.
As portions in Turkish restaurants are very large, it's not wise to have lots of mezze and
a main course as you will not be able to finish it. A good plan would be to order the set
meal of mixed mezze, mixed kebab and mixed salad. £22.00 (minimum 2 persons).
Recipe
Imam Bayildi, Serves 6
The story behind this dish is that of 'the fainting Imain' who swooned after sampling this
dish. No one knows whether that was due to ecstasy or the extravagance of his wife with
all the olive oil she used preparing it. This dish is delightful and not expensive.
6 long aubergines 3 Spanish onions 6 large tomatoes 6 to 10 cloves of garlic (to be
authentic this dish depends on a lot of garlic)
Juice of one lemon
Parsley
1 teaspoon of sugar 1/2 pint of olive oil 1/2 pint of stock or water salt and pepper
The long slim aubergines are best. If large aubergines are used, wash, cut them in half
lengthways, scoop out a little of the middle and and cover them with salted water for 30
mins to extract the bitterness. Rinse, squeeze gently and pat dry. The long variety is
sweet and does not need this treatment, but they are cut differently, so leave them whole
with the stalks on and slit them down the side like a pouch.
Heat some of the olive oil and fry the aubergines carefully until soft. Take care not to
spoil their shape. Cut them in half and arrange side by side in a serving dish and season.
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4/180C. Meanwhile, slice the onions and fry them in more
olive oil until soft. Put them in a bowl and mix into them the skinned and chopped
tomatoes, crushed garlic, chopped parsley and seasoning. Mix well and arrange on the
aubergine halves in the baking dish. Pour all the remaining oil over them (including the
oil from the frying) and enough stock or water to come half way up the sides of the
aubergines.
Drizzle with the lemon juice and sugar. Bake in the oven for one hour and serve cold with
Turkish bread. If you find it too oily reduce the amount used or steam the aubergines.
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