Kid Review: A Divine Turkish Dining Experience in Soho

Kid, a new Turkish restaurant in London's Soho, helmed by chef Sertaç Dirik and restaurateur David Carter, is earning high praise for its innovative approach to Anatolian cuisine. The restaurant, a collaboration between Dirik, known for Dalston's Mangal II, and Carter, who also owns Smokestak, Manteca, and Oma, focuses on fire-based cooking.

The dining room features exposed brick and dim, smoky lighting, creating an atmosphere that complements the grilled offerings. The menu, while drawing inspiration from Anatolian cooking, presents dishes that are distinctly the creations of Carter and Dirik. Service has been noted as sublime.

Appetizers include a bluefin tuna 'ezme,' described as having lustily spiced complexity, served on a crisp cracker. The içli köfte, a fist-sized dumpling filled with dry-aged beef mince and served with yogurt, is highlighted for its robust flavor. Muhammara, a smoky walnut and roasted red pepper dip, is paired with beyaz peynir cheese and walnuts, offering a balance of simple and intricate tastes. The accompanying tombik pide bread is noted for its puffy, blistered texture, ideal for sopping up dips.

The meat dishes are a particular focus. Lamb belly and sweetbread skewers are praised as magnificent, with the lamb belly presented as compressed, charred, and succulent squares, served atop blackened onions from the grill. The slow-cooked shoulder of kid, braised overnight in a clay pot with fig leaf, is singled out as a standout dish. The meat is described as spoon-soft with crisp, burnished skin, and the freekeh absorbs the rich juices, creating a dish of 'quiet majesty.'

Kid is located at 53-55 Frith Street, London W1, with the estimated cost per person around £60.