For years Dalston’s Kingsland Road has tempted people from far and wide to experience traditional Turkish cuisine. On a stretch of this lengthy high street, known locally as “the strip,” ocakbasi restaurants crowd almost side by side all the way into Stoke Newington.

Smack bang in the middle of it all is Mangal 2, established by Ali Dirik in 1994. More recently, Ali had begun to hand over the reins to his son, Ferhat, but they stuck to the old formula: classic Turkish cuisine with BYOB. If it ain't broken why fix it? Then 2020 hit, and Ali decided to retire. Ferhat had to decide whether to close, keep the restaurant running along the old lines, or do something else with the space.

Ferhat records a pivotal moment when beginning to work on the restaurant's new wine list. Sitting down with Frederic Grappe of Dynamic Vines at one of their first big tastings something just clicked. Although he’d literally grown up in restaurants, here was something he’d never encountered before. Before he knew it, he was building a proper low intervention restaurant wine cellar, advised by all the right people. In addition, he enrolled on a sommelier course.

In a short time he’d become very good friends with many of the UK’s biggest and most influential natural wine importers. Ferhat’s case includes wines that have been selected for their taste but also to celebrate the extremely strong bonds he’s made in the community that welcomed him in.

It’s fair to say his selection comes from the heart, the palate, and the sacred space that is Mangal 2.

This month we're really excited to have Josh Caffé join us for our mix series. Josh’s mix takes us on a moody meandering through trippy breaks, blended with perfection into slapped back, sultry, ethereal electronic bangers. Jump aboard Josh’s love train and expect a seamless adventure that stops off with Attica Blues, Al Green, Kruder and Dorfmeister and everything in between. It’s immaculate, and a mix that you will want to play over and over, and over again.

Josh has spent the last decade on a breathless trip through the fringes of London’s shifting house and techno continuum. As a DJ, vocalist and activist of British-Ugandan descent, Caffé’s influence has been felt everywhere from institutions such as Dalston Superstore and Adonis to his own Love Child party, curated at Fabric, where Caffé holds an influential residency. Collaborating with international icons of dance music and fashion such as Honey Dijon, he has become an even more visible and respected presence in recent years. Josh's mix coincides with an upcoming album and off the back of two hit singles ‘According To Jacqueline’ and ‘Do You Wanna Take Me Home?’ (remixed by Steffi & Virginia), both effortlessly capture Caffé’s vision of queer liberation and sensuality.

Description: Our good friends Francis Roberts and Tom Beattie (of Beattie & Roberts fame) suggested we do an event together, and there was only one name we knew it had to involve - a certain Christophe Lindenlaub. It was an absolute riot, all of his wines and a crowd of industry-led Lindenlovers. These incredibly expressive and flamboyant wines were outmatched by Christophe’s personality and charm. Limited in his English, it made absolutely zero difference. Real recognises real, and he worked that floor like Hugh Jackman in a musical on steroids. Such fun, I genuinely cannot wait to see him again - ideally visiting his pastures in the French-German borders of Alsace. 

Tasting Notes: A lot of lemon and yellow apple/pear, unripened peaches, and a little cloudy due to its unfiltered nature. However, it still retains white floral elements and has a rounded finish. 

Food Pairing: I feel the citric elements of this wine will work well with some greens, any spinach or kale based pasta to lift the dish further. Mangal 2 specific: Our grilled asparagus with Turkish Sivri Pepper sauce will work wonderfully together, adding a little sharpness to a plate that’s bordering on sweet.

Wine Preparation: As it is quite unfiltered, serve chilled but not too much on the extremes of ice cold unbearability. 10C ought to suffice.

Description: Working with Fernando of Otros Vinos has been so rewarding and fun. First of all, he is a fantastic guy, fun and not a single fibre of pretentiousness. Secondly, he has so many great wines from Spain, where Otros specialities lie. He has brought many wines which we have subsequently added to our menu, and I trust his tasting suggestions as he is first and foremost a regular customer here who understands our menu. This orange wine is produced by a Scotsman with Italian roots, with a very striking Roman-inspired label. It would stand out on any shelf, and that is also down to the colour of this wine, a thick and glowing orange.

Tasting Notes: There’s mango and apricot but for me the most prominent flavours are its herbaceous qualities, with rosemary and sage shining through, with high acidity and a lot of minerality. As fun as the bottle looks, this is a serious drink that cannot be ignored.

Food Pairing: White fish lightly cooked like hake, halibut. Pork dishes, especially cold cuts of roast ham. Mangal 2 specific: Our Monkfish wrapped in vine leaves with a chilli, brown butter sauce base will pair intelligently with this herby aromatic wine.

Wine Preparation: Chilled cold to the bone. 6-8C.