It’s Black Axe Mangal, basically, just with a different name. Created by Lee Tiernan, it’s an ode to the Turkish grills of Stoke Newington — peppered with flavour from just about everywhere else on the globe. It’s been called “genre-neutral”, which more or less means Tiernan takes food he likes from anywhere and puts it all together. If this sounds careless, it’s not: despite the chaos and noise here, Tiernan is a serious, masterful cook. Dishes change regularly; the menu is the work of a wandering, wondering mind. Though the forever-hyped spot has evolved in the past 12 years, his signature style — flavours with a boxer’s punch, a liberal use of spice, invention rarely found — has never wavered. There is a focus on nose-to-tail cooking, learned from his days in St John, but vegetarians and vegans are both catered for. A la carte menus are now offered too, rather than just a tasting menu, and the place even does brunch.
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