The legendary kebabs of Bosphorus – straite up
By Wajahat Ali Khan
Wait a sec… a Kebab Shop?! Feed the Lions haven’t suddenly turned into kittens who blog about cat food and play with yarns of wool?
No no no; let me drop some “proper knowledge” and educate you on the institution that is Bosphorus Kebabs.
This joint is as much an institution as Imperial College, V&A, or the Natural History, and Science Museums nearby.
In fact, I’d wager that if you spoke to any student of Imperial College – current or the past 30 years – they’ll confirm that education is incomplete without sampling the culinary delights of Bosphorus.
This place has been serving quality food since the early 80s.
Its proximity to the aforementioned institutions ensures a high turnover with the freshest kebabs being served all day, every day.
The first thing to hit you here is how small, and I do mean small, this place is. With seating capacity for no more than 20 people, it can be hard to find a seat to enjoy your meal during peak times.
The second is the visual impact of seeing the meat laid out in their counter ready for cooking, which in itself is quite a serious trigger in getting the mouth salivating and stomach churning with anticipation.
The third thing you’ll notice are the little cards of appreciation, left by customers from all around the world over the past 30-odd years, tiling the wall on one side of the shop – and all this before the days of social media!
I’m glad to see Bosphorus have continued this trend.
And finally, it is, of course, the warm feeling of satisfaction in tucking into a perfectly seasoned and cooked hot kebab that’s accompanied with salad and pitta bread.
Take note though because these are served on metal plates, so my tip would be to bloomin’ hurry up and eat ’em pronto.
XL Mixed Grill in which I play ‘hide the chicken wing’, £8.50 (S £6.60, L £7.60)
Everything on the menu is good quality food; but if you can’t make up your mind, then try the extra-large mixed grill which sees a chicken wing being thrown in to boot.
59 Old Brompton Rd,
Kensington,
London SW7 3JS
T: +44 (0)20 7584 4048
