Yildiz Restaurant

Rachel North (17 July 2006)

At first glance this looks like an ordinary kebab shop. Ah, but enter, and there's a restaurant at the back and you find the tenderest cuts of chicken and lamb grilled to perfection over a huge roaring fire. Flat bread so fresh and light it tastes of pancakes, tomatoes and coriander and olives and lemons, roast onions in a caramelised vinegar, ribbons of radishes in a tangy dressing all served up for free alongside your choices. We had feta pastries so fresh and hot that they burned the mouth, fresh calamari and the softest, tangiest grilled helim cheese. Plus 2 bottles of ice cold Chablis. A family feast for less than £16 a head.

The best fire-grilled meat anywhere in London, and you must try the lamb ribs or the lamb chops which I have yet to see anybody manage to order and not end up gnawing the bones. Sticky, smoky, tender and juicy, I don't know why mankind ever gave up cooking fresh meat on fires. Food like this makes me get in touch with my inner cavewoman.

9.5/10 - the minus half point was for a beer that wasn't chilled. One of North London's best-kept secrets - doesn't stop it getting packed out with locals every night though.