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Please note, Kyseri has now closed. A new Turkish-Cypriot restaurant called Oklava Bakery + Wine is due to open on the site, run by the same team. Time Out Food editors, JANUARY 2020.
Kyseri, a Turkish-Cypriot restaurant that aims to ‘push the boundaries’ of both cuisines, is a lovely spot in Fitzrovia from Laura Christie and Selin Kiazim – the acclaimed chef behind Oklava, a Turkish place in Shoreditch. It’s small, but beautiful: light pours in through bay windows on to soft-orange banquettes, and marble tables are topped with white roses. It’s like a little slice of Chelsea, except its by Warren Street tube.
The menu was an interesting read: a mix of modern Turkish food and ingredients you might not have heard of. The best dish? A plate of beef and sour cherry manti: the four big, meaty dumplings (with tiny pieces of candied cherry mixed into their filling) were like a cross between ravioli and pierogi, and came in a spicy tomato-chilli butter with pine nuts. Then there was the delicious ‘Black Sea fondue’ – salty, melty cheese with a side of thick, herby halloumi bread. The disappointments were a plate of jerusalem artichokes that tasted like oily potatoes, and the pacing of the meal: mains arrived with starters, sides were brought on their own. But I’d still recommend Kyseri. It’s a fun place to eat, and Kiazim’s cooking is so interesting I would go back just to see what she does next.