Set in a renovated Victorian homestead, with stained-glass windows and a pretty courtyard, this is one of the more neighbourly Turkish restaurants in Sydney. It’s the ideal place to share snacky plates with a group of friends and remember those heady nights in Istanbul. Mezze to share is the order of the day; order four apiece and a main and eat with gusto. It’s all delicious stuff, like fat, juicy prawns, Sucuk Kofte spicy lamb kofte on warm humus or the splendidly-named ‘efendy begendi’, which is a four-hour ‘Yahni’ slow-braised beef cheek with olives and smoky eggplant purée. Drinks-wise, try some Efes Pilsen Turkish beer or ‘raki’ – the dubious yet potent Turkish spirit. All meals should finish with thick, sludgy Turkish coffee while you nibble on fragrant squares of lokum, a traditional Turkish sweet, and if there’s still room (there’s always room) for a nightcap, you’re in luck. Balmain has one of the highest concentrations of excellent pubs per capita and you’re in stumbling distance from many of the good ‘uns like The London or The Exchange.