Haz

Time Out says

Tue Dec 15 2009

There’s something of the Tas chain about this place, and it’s not just in the name. Both enterprises aim to bring a little Zone-1 formality to a cuisine that, at least in London, is usually served on paper tablecloths in the rather more insalubrious likes of Dalston and Harringay. And, up to a point, both succeed. The Cutler Street branch is the smartest of the three Haz restaurants in the City, and may even be the smartest Turkish spot in the capital. Blessed with high ceilings, picture windows and white tablecloths, it’s a handsome room, albeit in an uncomplicated and not especially memorable way. You could say the same about the food: Turkish staples delivered without flourish. The menu is pretty lengthy, with standard starters – houmous, cacik, surprisingly airy falafel – supplemented by a few salads, a handful of soups and some more unusual dishes. Mains encompass casseroles and a large array of fish and seafood, from plain-as-day grilled salmon to steamed monkfish, but most diners seem to head directly for the traditional meat kebabs. It’s all fine if you’re passing, but perhaps not worth a special trip.