Anatolia Chargrill

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

Anatolia Chargrill is first and foremost a grill restaurant, where chicken and lamb are sliced, skewered, charred, and served with traditional rice and vermicelli. It’s got a central location and an impressively large space inside that balances Turkish rugs with a clean, modern feel when other restaurants with similar menus tend to be more quaint, or further afield. For these reasons – location, décor – it’s a popular and mainstream way into Turkish cuisine, and goes some way to fighting the notion that kebabs are best eaten at 3am with ‘salad and sauce’. Here, the meat’s done properly, with thick marinades of yoghurt and spices alongside the pleasing chewiness of the charred exterior. Other standout dishes are borek, which are delicate and buttery filo parcels that give way to creamy feta; and sucuk izgara – dense little garlic lamb sausages absolutely packed with flavour. It’s also seriously worth trying the Turkish pizzas, which use less tomato and more diced peppers on the base to vibrant effect. During the day, the £4.95 express lunch menu is understandably very popular.

• High point: The complimentary, addictive 'cushion' bread
• Low point: Plays it safe