Reviews Yeni Umut 2000 Ockbasi

Okay, so I think this is the best Turkish food I've had in London. If you've had better let me know eh... but I can't really imagine.

Everytime I go I try and order something different as I wanna master the menu.

Things you GOTTA get: The Halloumi, or as they say, hellum. I don't even like Halloumi but man this halloumi is so good I love it. Maybe it's got something to do with their technique. I dunno - just trust me on this one.

The aubergine salad is so tight. It's a cold salad so just warning ya. Goes a bloody treat with the bread they give you (btw bread is free and once you've finished it guess what? they give you more!!!!) But yes a great salad to break up all the meat that you're about to eat.

The chicken shish is a bloody winner - it comes with this heavenly yoghurt sauce that is just diiiiiiiivine. 

Once I got the mixed platter for one - it came with quail, chicken wings, livers, lamb shish, and ribs. It was very good but I got it to take away and ate it for the next 3 days. But this meat is so good my friends. 

The chef cooks all the food on this charcoal grill in front of ya and man its so good I want to go there for dinner right now god dammit.

I've also had the calamari which I thought would be cooked over the coal aswell.... except it was just fried squid rings that you could get anywhere... so maybe .... don't get them but hey up to you!!!! 

All the meals come with two free salads so you're definitely getting your 5+ a day at this place / also its cash only which can be a bit of around but hey its 100% worth it. 

Skip ya local doner kebab take out place and go here folks!!!!!!!

I have been eating enough of their chicken kebab wrap to send their kids to college. I have one once a week as a treat. Their secret is the veg they roll into it, with the spiced flat bread. Every person I've taken here for this dish loved it. The lamb beyti is good as well. If you leave saying "gorushunuz" they'll treat you extra good.

By Koray Hussein

Let me make up a hypothetical story to put this review in perspective.

One day I wake up, make a moderately enjoyable breakfast, let’s say eggs because eggs are the shit. I check my emails whilst scoffing down my eggs and find out that Shakira has divorced that annoying bastard who plays for Barcelona and has sent me a friend request on Facebook with that little winking emoji. From there I go to the local corner shop pick up a Pepsi and a newspaper and head back home.

I open the can to find out I’ve won free Pepsi for the rest of my life and the back page of the newspaper has a full page spread of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both wearing Arsenal shirts. Let's say Thierry Henry is the manager too, because why not?

Later that day I go to Umut 2000’s for a meal and then head home to watch new episodes of Fawlty Towers and Black Books.

The best bit of that hypothetical day? Umut 2000.

There’s a very good reason for this: Umut’s (I’m getting rid of the 2000 because I feel like I’m talking about a robot) serve some of the very best lamb I’ve ever had. Seriously. The shish, kofte, ribs and chops are all amazing and could make a vegan blush.

That’s not to say the rest of their lambless (that’s now a word) meals aren’t great too. Umut’s serve some really nice cold and hot meze which makes it pretty difficult to pick between them. It’s taken me over three years to get my basic meze/starters order set in stone as they are all lovely and it’s extremely difficult deciding what to omit so there is room for the actual mains. Now, we (usually) settle for a plate of hummus, patlican (aubergine), hellim (halloumi), the two provided salads (their onion and parsley salad is ridiculously good) and warm, lamb juice soaked bread.

Moving on to the mains:

Nine times out of ten, when I walk into Umut’s I order a lamb shish wrap, which is one of my most favourite meals in the entire world. It really is a meal that I could eat every single night for the rest of my life and never complain. But seeing as I wanted to get a shot for Maybe, I couldn’t really order the wrap.

The thing about this little bundle of goodness is that you’re not actually meant to unwrap the entire thing before you eat it. Instead you're meant to unwrap it as you work your way down so that it keeps it's shape and doesn't drop little pieces of lamb all over the place. So even though the wrap has outstanding flavours and is unbelievably delicious, I thought I'd go for something more... photogenic.

I went for the kofte and shish mix with rice and cacik (yoghurt with diced cucumber, sprinkled with mint and drizzled with olive oil).

Delicious.

Both the kofte and shish were perfectly cooked and soooo sooooooo soooooooo juicy. I don't know how these guys do it. The quality of the food is so consistent and blows me away every single time I visit.

The entire meal was (as usual) incredible and to be completely honest the only let down was the rice, as it tasted slightly undercooked; but that's just nit-picking seeing as it still got demolished.

I cannot recommend Umut’s enough as it really is one of best Turkish restaurants I've ever been to.

And if you're too stuffed to leave straight away, I recommend capping the meal off with one of their beautiful Turkish teas.

Oh, if you were wondering. The Shakira friend request would almost certainly come in at number two on the list of my favourite parts of that day.

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THE! VERY! BEST! KEBAB! I HAVE EVER EATEN! PERIOD! 🤤 The lamb ribs, are to die for 🌟 & excellent value for money at that! Just note that this place is Cash Only.

Consistently excellent! Lamb ribs are a favourite, also love the grilled aubergine cold starter. If you’re in a group, the combo platter for 4 is a great deal. Interior of the restaurant has been improved since the refurb (not as smoky anymore). Bring cash!

Been coming here for over twenty years. Try everything, however the not to be missed dish is lamb ribs (Kaburga). If you know you know, if not..."what are you waiting for?" Keep up the greatness Honor and family!

Amazing Turkish meat platter, everything you can ask for with delicious smokey flavour. Great dips and accompanying sides. I really loved that taramasalata.

Recommended this place by Jenny at Sang Bleu and couldn’t have had a better meal. Ordered a lamb adana kebab wrap - hard to explain how much better this was than the kebab shop around the corner. Really something special. And the guys in the shop are super nice and make it a great experience. Highly recommend!!