I was drawn into this place while waiting at a Dalston bus stop – the signs outside showed rice-filled mussels I’d never seen or heard of before, so I couldn’t resist heading in. Turns out that sometimes, ignorance is rewarded; not only does The Midyeci seem to be the only place in London that serves Turkish midye dolma, but it also transpires that they’re bloody delicious. I was offered one to try before I bought a box, and was given a demonstration: you crack open the shell at its hinge, scoop up the aromatic rice-filled mussel, squeeze a bit of lemon on top, and shoot it down. The fresh, zingy, herby combo is well worth a trip, IMO – I loved their tender, crunchy mussel burger, with its perfect soft bun and tartare sauce, too. A gander at their reviews shows that loads of people swear by their mackerel sandwich, so I guess I’ll see you there when I return.
Price: £9.50 for a large box of classic midye dolma, which were the ones I tried
Location: 505 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AU
Weekend hours: 12:30-10:30 PM, Friday to Sunday
