If the ’90s were the rise of the gastropub years, we’re currently in the era of incredible restaurants going into pubs, and Kismet is one of them. Kismet may not be permanent (yet), but with the way this year-long residency is going, we predict a riot.
The Décor/Vibe
Well-known brands often spend a lot of money trying to look this authentic, and we get the feeling Kismet did this without breaking the bank. Located upstairs in The Globe Tavern, Bridget Jones’s flat in the original film, they’ve kept things simple, but made the right choices. Wooden tables with white tablecloths. Vintage family photos and memorabilia pinned on the uplifting buttercup yellow walls. Diner-esque branded napkin holders and plates. An open kitchen, with smoke and staff smiles peeking through. And on a good day, sunlight streaming through the lace-clad windows, lighting up the entire space. The room itself, with its scuffed wooden floors and exposed overhead beams, has great bones, too.
The Menu
And this is why you are here. There are small plates and then there are small plates… wow. Led by two stars, Dom Hamdy (of Bistro Freddie, Crispin, and Bar Crispin) and Keiran Mustafa (previously of BiBi and The Harwood Arms), here they’ve come together to pay homage to traditional ‘meyhanes’ or taverns of Northern Cyprus and Istanbul, with a focus on dishes to share and a few mangal-grilled mains.
Standout meze dishes: well, it’s hard to pick just a few, but the strained yoghurt with chili and butter is the kind of dish you think about long after, and the grilled halloumi with thyme honey and lemon almost felt like dessert; so good. For sides you need the fried Cypriot potatoes and a spicy plate, which is literally a platter of chillies for your mangal, and for the main, monkfish with yoghurt and chilli butter (I now see the pattern with our faves) is rich and hearty. There’s a reasonable set menu that they say is a little bit of everything – and to come hungry – which sounds like a delicious (and slightly scary) challenge.
Highlights
The staff – they all seem to greet you (in a style that feels reminiscent of Japanese restaurants) – and the space. Their social media, which is, refreshingly, more vibes than educational, is pretty spectacular, too.
