Last night, after a restrained meal of lahmacun, mezes, and a single Urfa kebab at Antepliler, we were proud of our restraint. It seemed only fair to reward ourselves with dessert so we headed next door to the smaller Antipleler Ciğerci (a grilled liver joint) where künefe is made to order.

Künefe is a sweet and savory treat from southeastern Turkey. Cheese is sandwiched between layers of kadayıf (shredded pastry) and cooked in butter on both sides in a circular metal pan. The last step before plating is to douse the künefe (while still over the heat) in syrup. It is a beautiful process to watch, and at Antipleler Ciğerci it is made even better, as kidneys, hearts and liver cook over charcoal at the adjacent grill. The only drawback is that two künefe and four teas will set you back over £10, an unthinkable sum in Anatolia.

Antepliler
46 Grand Parade
Green Lanes, London, N4 1AG