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Mangal Ocakbasi

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10 Arcola Street, E8 2DJ Full details & map

Grill: Turkish

 
© Barry J Holmes

Time Out says   3 Users say 3/5 Rate it

Posted: Oct 27 2011

Hidden for more than 20 years down a side street off Stoke Newington Road, this no-frills grill is where London's kebab connoisseurs head for some of the best Turkish food in the city. There's often a scrum as customers cram in to wait for tables or a takeaway, but the meat-packed display by the door proves an incentive to patience, as does the compelling sight of the chef behind his smoky charcoal grill expertly flipping skewers. Despite this theatre, the best seats are at the back, where things are somewhat calmer.

Once ensconced, order the mixed meze - it will arrive in minutes with a free basket of superb bread - while you mull over the mains. Remember, pretty much everything that comes off those coals is of outstanding quality. (Vegetarians might not be so impressed.) We especially rate the spicier minced lamb kebabs, such as adana köfte and beyti; also good is cubed chicken with tomato and yoghurt sauce.

Although you can buy alcohol, corkage-free BYO and bargain prices make the restaurant a magnet for groups, so it's not the place for a quiet meal. Service was friendly but brisk - don't expect to hang around when you're finished.

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Mangal Ocakbasi details

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Address

Mangal Ocakbasi

10 Arcola Street E8 2DJ

Transport Dalston Kingsland rail or 67, 76, 149, 243 bus

Telephone

020 7275 8981

Mangal Ocakbasi website

Meals served noon-midnight daily

Main courses £9.50-£13.50. Corkage no charge

Facilities

Babies and children admitted, Booking advisable, Disabled ( toilet ), Takeaway service

Mangal Ocakbasi map

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Comments & ratings 3/5 (Average of 3 ratings)

By good food seeker - Mar 19 2012
1/5

We went there 4 people and as they don't serve large variety of drink you can take yours as well which to some sense is fine then we sat ordered some more drink and started to order starters and the waiter asked us what we having for mains and we said we do order later and in a very rude, incompetent & unprofessional way said well you have only 1 hour from sitting down to leave the place, even though there were lots of tables available, I just got shocked and asked for THE MANAGER who wasn't sure if he was the manager or not when I asked him and he was even worse than his waiter he said if you are a group we don't mind you to take as much time as you wish and I turned around and said sorry, so we should have made a booking before..? he said bookings is only for large groups and like us which we were 4 people can't book and you only have one hour to eat and leave during weekend so even booking is not acceptable for such small number of people. The guy was so stupid ,as I didn't and never agree to pay for food and rush to finish it and leave, as we were leaving he suggested to us to come back during the weekdays and you can sit down for more time. that made me laugh and I promised him that I'll put it on the web for other people to avoid the same disappointment. I heard about this sh@# hole through word of mouth and invited other peoples along as a result but to a the shock of my life and it was a big let down, never go back there and will warn others about them.

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By Bob Dudeface - Feb 10 2012
5/5

Amazing. By miles the best turkish food I've ever had, and amongst the best food I've had in London. We now go every week. Take out is also fantastic. Yogurtlu dishes are key.

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