Kismet, a new Turkish pop-up in Borough Market, is destined for great things, writes Heather Steele. The restaurant, located at 8 Bedale Street, SE1, offers a meal for two for about £140. It is the creation of Dom Hamdy of Bistro Freddie and Keiran Mustafa, a chef of Turkish-Cypriot heritage.
A Lived-In Look
The rooms above the Globe Tavern, once the fictional flat of Bridget Jones, have been transformed. The walls are painted soft yellow, emulating tobacco-stained paintwork, and are pinned with newspaper clippings and old photos from Istanbul flea markets. On every table, steel paper-napkin holders marked 1964 — the year Mustafa's family arrived in the UK — add a personal touch.
The restaurant replicates the traditional "meyhane" drinking dens of Istanbul and northern Cyprus. Named after the men once employed by Istanbul bars to carry drunk patrons home in baskets, Kismet serves own-brand Basket Case lager and Turkish raki by measure or bottle. If you don't finish your bottle, it can be labelled and kept for your next visit.
Generous Dining
A meal at Kismet is generous in all senses. The set menu is £48, with a £4 cover charge that brings bread, tea and water. The table is quickly laden with meze, including whipped tahini with sharp citrus, a rich and delicate tarama, stewed green beans, and strained yoghurt with cucumber, served with a side plate of shaved kohlrabi, cucumber and melon.
The dips are so wonderful that an extra round of bread is ordered. Off-menu, a plate of yaprak ciğer (fried lamb livers) is crisp, light and showered in lemon juice, likely to convert offal naysayers. The livers arrive with plump beef and bulgur wheat köftesi, and a skillet of bubbling Swiss chard topped with the unmissable atom, a buffalo-milk yoghurt with chilli butter.
A Charcoal Grill Expertise
Mustafa, who was head chef when the Indian restaurant BiBi opened in 2021 and has worked at Greek-inspired Oma, knows his way around a charcoal grill. The main event is a platter of chicken thighs, excellent meatballs and charred peppers, served on top of bread soaked in meaty juices. A plate of fried Cyprus potatoes finishes the meal.
The warmth of the meyhane is evident in the lively soundtrack, a live kanun player on the night of review, ceremonial spritzes of citrusy hand spray, and glasses of Turkish tea presented on hanging silver trays. An enormous pan of still-warm baklava raises a smile.
Kismet means fate. Based on two glorious, sun-soaked meals, this Kismet is destined for great things over the next 12 months, and beyond.
