Dining at Skewd, Leicester Square, London

A Turkish haven in the madness of Leicester Square.

When you think of fine dining and relaxed vibes, I doubt Leicester Square comes to mind, but look past the 24hour Greggs, and the Angus Steakhouse, and you’ll find a gem that is well worth knowing about.

This is the third restaurant from Skewd and is a new addition to the saturated food offerings of central London, and it’s a welcomed one (the other locations are The Grove, Hertfordshire and Cockfosters). Nestled inside Horizon’s casino on the main strip of Leicester Square, you’ll find a tranquil, beautifully designed restaurant, with dim lighting, chic interiors, friendly staff and a cocktail list that is a joy to explore.

On one of the hottest days in London we fought our way through the crowds to be met by a smiling host at the entrance to Skewd. We were shown to our seats, settled into a large, comfy booth in front of a beautiful hand painted mural and immediately ordered a Turkish classic – Efes Draft.

While we sipped on our cold beers, the friendly maître d’ introduced herself and talked us through the menu, answering all our questions and giving us recommendations.

We went for the selection of mezes to start; a generous helping of soft Turkish bread served to scoop the selection of dips with; Beetroot Tarator (Roasted beets, hung yoghurt, garlic, walnuts), Smashed Eggplant (Smoked eggplant, Kapia peppers smashed with tahini, fresh pomegranates), Kirsir Salaad (Bulgur wheat, spring onions, tomato purée, celery mixed herbs and pomegranate molasses) and hummus. While all were fragrant and fresh, the smashed eggplant was a standout.

On to the mains, and it was a tough choice. After years of eating at institutions on Green Lanes (the London home of Turkish food), I thought I knew this cuisine, but how wrong I was. The chef’s recommendation of Ali Nazik (Lamb shish on smashed eggplant, hung yoghurt) was rich and full of flavour while also being light and aromatic. The wrapped Beyti (Adana wrapped in lavas bread, hung yoghurt, Halep sauce) had all the signature flavours of my favourite Turkish dish, and was unbelievably moreish.

But the highlight of the whole meal was something I would not associate with a traditional Turkish meal – a frozen Yuzu Margarita. Sweet, strong, zesty and ice cold, it was the perfect accomplishment to an incredibly delicious meal.