An unusual kebab shop

Sometimes you hit on somewhere more or less by chance, and find that fate has led you to a happy destination.

And so it was with Cyprus Mangal, on Warwick Way in Victoria/Pimlico.

We were actually going to go to Kazaan around the corner, but when we got outside we realised that we had already been there! The previous visit was actually some time ago, but only our second meal out since living to London merited somewhere new, I felt.

As we wandered about without direction we noticed what at first looked like no more than a kebab shop. Then we realised there was a restaurant at the back, and another one downstairs. It seemed busy, and the smells were appetising. It was also cheap - so we did not have much to lose.

It was actually bloody good. They do all kinds of kebabs, served on warm flatbreads, speckled with sesame seeds and more substantial than pitta bread, with proper salad on the side. Kebabs have something of a bad name - they rank with ordering a vindaloo, peeing in the street and falling asleep on a night bus as things most people only do when they are drunk. Cyprus Mangal, however, sells proper kebabs made from real meat, not ground-up bits of unspeakable animal parts.

They also do lots of mezze - you can get selections of hot or cold mezze, or a whole banquet. The borek were triangular like a samosa, not cigar-shaped as they are more often found. They could have been a bit plumper with filling, but the herby cheese was good and the pastry light. Grilled halloumi doesn't really vary very much, and nor do falafel, but I was quite happy with these specimens. We also had some whitebait and some sliced Turkish sausage which was deep red in colour and full of flavour.

With stacks of Turkish flatbread as well as the rest we were straining the seams of our trousers by the time we left. It was all washed down with the Turkish lager Efes, which will hold fond memories for those who have been on holiday to Turkey (you can get English lager too). The bill was very reasonable - about £8 for a kebab to eat in, or £13 for enough mezze for a meal, and £2.65 for a bottle of lager. We may well be back.