The case for a table of mezze

A Turkish meal often begins with many small plates rather than one starter each. Mezze are meant to be shared, and they set a generous tone for the rest of the evening.

Cold first

Our cold mezze include hummus, mutebbel, acili ezme, mouhamara and vine leaves. Each one is made in the morning so the flavours have time to settle before service. Order three or four for the table with warm puff bread.

Mezze turn a menu into a conversation.

Then something from the oven

Lahmacun, thin flatbread with spiced minced meat, bridges the cold plates and the grill. Squeeze lemon over it, add a little parsley and roll it up.

By the time the mains arrive, the table has already shared a dozen tastes. That is the point.