Atlas mühürdar 78

Atlas Mühürdar 78 had been on our list for a long time. It's on Mühürdar Caddesi in Kadıköy, in a charming two-storey building squeezed between apartment blocks.

The menu is a pleasure — familiar flavours given small touches. It leans towards meze, but the offal options are very good too. The decoration is warm, the food is served on metal plates, and the portions are judged well.

Of what we tried, the Antakya cracked olives with za'atar, the fried oyster mushrooms, the veal liver, the lamb tirit, the beef tongue and the cardamom muhallebi all pleased us.

The service is good and attentive despite the crowd. It feels like a pleasant oasis in the bustle of Kadıköy.